Can you mix a 90's high school drug myth with 1930's Raymond Chandler Film Noir? Brick says "why not"?

Brick Credit: Focus Features

In typical smalltown America, Emily ("Lost"'s Emilie de Ravin) is found dead and her ex-boyfriend Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) wants to solve the case. He launches an investigation and operates much like an old-time private eye, evading the overseeing eye of his by-the-book chief of detectives.. only in Brick, it's the high school principal (Richard Roundtree). Brendan enlists the aid of a classmate who seems to be info central for everything going on in the school. He discovers a bizarre underworld full of teen druggies and drug lords.

Brick Credit: Focus Features

The local drug kingpin is a kid, played by Lucas Haas, who looks like a cross between a vampire and Marilyn Manson. And, there's the typical-to-noir femme fatale (Nora Zehetner), who both helps and dooms young hero Brendan as he infiltrates this teen drug underworld to learn a truth that involves stolen drugs (a "brick"), a suspected overdose and a lot of beatings on the way to the answers.

Brick Credit: Focus Features

Brick is a gimmick movie that just can't help but fascinate you. "Hey, why do I relate to these kids but their dialogue seems like it comes out of Humphrey Bogart's mouth as he plays Sam Spade"? There is a high school location and "vibe" without ever seeing a class in session or another student other than the leading actors. You hear cheerleaders doing their thing but never see them. You hear the bells that change classes but don't see them change, etc.