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Several of the costumes are reminiscent of other eras, in particular the 50s, the golden age of film, as shown through Laura's clothing, in particular the headpiece worn in her final scene and in Emily's shows, remarkable similar to those in fashion in the 1940s and 1950s. More modern aspects are included to date clothing, like the abstract bracelets worn by Emily.

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Editing is used significantly throughout the film, switching between third and first perspective, creating empathy between the audience and the characters.

The use of dreams and flashbacks to create tension and assumptions about characters, bonding the audience to characters and audience, filling the void of a voiceover.

In Brendan's dream sequence, parts of the shot blur or fade, disorientating the viewer. This helps demonstrates that it is a dream, making the scene seem surreal and dreamlike.

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Unlike typical film noir, chiaroscuro lighting is rarely used in Brick, with exception of the murder of Dode.

Low-lighting is used throughout the film, to create a dim, mysterious and pessimistic feel, not inspiring hope for the audience.

Lighting is arguably used most significantly through the presentation of 'The Pin', he is shown in shadows, with usually one source of light behind him, casting him in darkness, giving him power and a mysterious presentation.

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Sound is incredibly significant in Brick, while there are areas in the film increased by music, the moments of silence are incredibly significant, creating tension and concealing the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist.

The eerie music enhances the dark and foreboding mood, in particular in the tunnel, creating a specific emotion or sympathy in the audience.

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Camera angles are used to disorientate throughout the film, canted and oblique angles used generously to confuse and distract the audience.

The first shot of the film is an extreme closeup of Brendan's eyes, making the audience feel uncomfortable, it also creates a certain degree of trust and empathy between Brendan and the audience, due to the intimacy of the image.

When Tug is introduced we see the physical altercation from Brendan's perspective, this was the first example of a shot from the first perspective, connecting the audience further with Brenden.

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Brick also features an unconventional setting for the noir genre, set in a high school, instead of the traditional setting of an urban location.

Significant scenes also take place in a tunnel, where Emily is murdered, this is a more conventional location featured in classic film noir. This space is particularly effective as it offers a patch of darkness contrasting to the use of light throughout the film.

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Unlike typical film noir, Brick is set almost entirely during the daytime, betraying the conventions of film noir. It could be argued that this effective as it masks the actions of certain characters and contrasts with the typical presentation of noir, murders taking place in broad daylight

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Smoking is a common icon in the film noir genre, smoking is featured heavily in traditional noir but has featured less in the neo noir genre. Smoking is incredibly significant in Brick, while the focus is more on heroin, than the traditional tobacco featured in genre, the plot of the film and its title are based upon the significance of the habit.

Laura's actions are ultimately revealed due to the brand of cigarette she uses, the same as the one thrown from the black car, Emily warned him about, it was this that allowed Brendan to identify the source of the problems and achieve justice.

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Voiceovers are a common convention of the genre, and while they are not used in Brick, there silence and lack of narrative guidance is actually significant. The audience must interpret what is going on themselves , deciphering Brendan's facial expressions etc. This succeeds in making the protagonists seem more mysterious and harder to understand , creating tension amongst viewers.

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Like many film noirs, Brick features flashbacks, to help the narrative structure. Like many noirs the structure begins in the middle and continues to the end, revealing the beginning and it's events through a sequence of flashbacks and conversations.

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Throughout the film it is unclear who the femme fatale could be, as all the female characters display examples of femme fatale conventions.

Emily, while the most innocent of the three women, is still shown to be sexually promiscuous, romantically involved with three of the characters, including Brendan. She was involved with the drug gangs and shown to be an addict. While these presentations would be classified as deviant or evil in the era of classic noir, it would now not be considered wrong for a woman to be free with her sexuality, due to increase in equality, by the modern standards of neo noir this wouldn't alone make her a femme fatale, due to her good intentions.

Kara also meets many of the conventions of a femme fatale, she is shown to be manipulative and in control of many men, reversing stereotypes of powerful men, crime films. She is also cunning and manipulative, leading Brendan to Laura and controlling a sequence of men around her.

Laura however is the most conventional femme fatale shown in the film, she is cruel and vindictive, purposely encouraging Emily to meet with Tug, her killer and making him believe that Emily's child was his. She also seduces Brendan, comforting him during his grief for Emily, lying about her part in it. Like many traditional fatales her actions have more influence and control than a majority of the male characters, leading to the death of 'the pin' and manipulating Tug into murder, showing the extent of her influence. She also steals a brick of heroin from the drug gangs, and allows the men to kill each other looking for it, showing her ruthless, immoral nature.

Despite the convention of film noir that femme fatales do not pay for their crimes, Laura does. She is ultimately betrayed by Brendan and reported to the police, incriminated by Brick of weed in her locker.

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The protagonist of the film, Brendan Frye demonstrates several characteristics of a classic film noir fall guy. He is morally ambiguous, cunning, ruthless but well intentioned. He is shown to violent and manipulative, outsmarting several people during physical altercations. While his intentions are shown to be moral throughout the film, his decisions are not, he chooses not to intervene when 'The Pin' is beaten to death, despite their alliance, contrasting with the heroic, moral characters conventionally shown in the film industry. He also takes it upon himself to hide Emily's body from the police, so they wouldn't intrude on the crime, showing an instinctive mistrust of the police, often demonstrated by Film Noir anti-heroes. This also shows how adults are ignored and mistrusted by the characters, 'The Pin' and his organisation being ran by teenagers, with little to no input, or featuring of an adult.

Brendan's fait differs from those conventionally found in the noir genre, while conventionally in film noir, the protagonist usually takes the fall for his crimes or those of the femme fatale and any other villainous characters, however in Brick Brendan survives relatively unharmed and unpunished, The 'Pin' and Laura ultimately suffering instead.

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Brick is a modern, neo noir created in 2005, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emilie de Raven. Not only did the film gone on to box office success but it also became an prime example of modern film noir and a cult classic.

The film begins with the protagonist, Brendan receiving a frantic phone call from his terrified ex-girlfriend, Emily. It is revealed that her fear is caused by a black mustang, from which a distinctive cigarette with a blue arrow, is thrown. Brendan searches for traces of Emily, eventually leading to a party held by a girl named Laura and her boyfriend Brad, Laura sends him to a local diner, where he finds a note, that leads him to Emily's dead body. Brendan becomes determined to discover her murderer.

He soon discovers that Emily was involved with an underground drug cartel, ran by people at his high school.