Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) receives an intense phone call from his ex-girlfriend, learning that she has been found dead. He takes it upon himself to solve the murder, beginning by infiltrating the high school cliques that he has made an effort to avoid until now. In his effort to decipher what really happened, Brendan comes up against some of the schools most unforgiving characters. Ultimately he is confronted with a drug dealer known as “the Pin” (Lukas Haas), who apparently holds some answers to her death. As things start to unravel, Brendan stays remains solid and keeps digging for the truth.

Rian Johnson made his writing and directing debut with this remarkably unique item, an old-fashioned, stylized detective film transferred into a modern high school setting. The dialogue in this film is the high point, mixing antique terminology and made up slang with extreme conviction and coolness. The characters seem to have evolved to play certain kinds of roles in this enclosed universe, no two are alike, though each knows exactly what he or she wants. Some viewers will little question be postpone by the oddness of it all, and therefore the way the characters behave toward each other . But for the patient viewer, a few very satisfying moments of tenderness provide entry points.

Above all, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is almost constantly on screen, provides an incredibly assured portrayal, evoking tough guys from old Hollywood films while adding his own unique flair. His careless hair, crooked glasses, and hands in the pocket mannerisms, speak numbers to the character he is able to achieve. Some scenes specifically stuck with me and had me gripping my seat the whole time, the fast edits and fast pace of the fight scenes and intense power really bring a strong force to the screen. The plot is complicated, but rewarding for anyone willing to dive in and focus during the screening. The first time I watched the movie, I didn’t even know that they were talking about half the time, due to the extreme use of innuendos and nuances in the screenplay. The second watch proved to be extremely helpful, as the plot unfolded slowly in layers.

Described as an “adrenaline rush” and a “rustic take on teenage lifestyle and crime,” this film provides such a strong plot that proves to keep your emotions involved in Brendan’s point of view. The way that I felt completely mind blown at the end really proved that my attention towards the writing was strong, but I was still left guessing and wanting more answers, and that’s what I look for in films. High school as we all know is complicated, but when there is a murder mystery and everyone is most likely a suspect, it just becomes twisted. All die hard mystery fans and neo-noir fans alike will be enamored by this realistic tale of high school neo-noir mystery thriller. Give it a watch by clicking the image below!