Hilarious and fascinating neo-noir about a high school reporter who uncovers a bigger scandal while investigating stolen SAT exams. Much like Rian Johnson’s Brick (07), it’s a high-school set detective genre spoof. Our gum-chewing gumshoe protagonist is a Raymond Chandler wannabe with dreams of becoming a journalist, and this case/article is sure to be a step in the right direction.
He teams up with the most popular girl in school to uncover the mystery, but finds himself in too deep as a larger conspiracy unfolds. The movie loses points for originality, since it is clearly inspired by Brick (07), but it makes up for this with interesting characters and quirky quotable dialogue. I loved the style on display in this comedic mystery that poignantly captures many elements of the high school experience.
Reece Thompson is superb as Bobby Funke, but Bruce Willis steals the show as a Desert Storm vet turned high school principal. While fans of Mischa Barton will likely be pleased with her presence, I found her performance a bit flat (not quite as bad as I expected it to be though). Some will not appreciate the film’s unique style and humor but I was enamored and delighted by the witty dialogue and intriguing characters. Highly recommended. Rated R for sexual content, some nudity, language, and drug and alcohol use—all involving teens. Genre: Comedy/Mystery. 93 minutes. Available on DVD on 10/06/09. 8.2/10
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