Brick Quotations

Brick is a 2005 film about Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a loner who seeks for the answers behind the death of his ex-girlfriend. Heavily inspired by such works as The Maltese Falcon and The Big Sleep.

Written and directed by Rian Johnson

A detective story.

Brendan Frye

I've got knives in my eyes, I'm going home sick.

Throw one at me if you want, hash head. I've got all five senses and I slept last night, that puts me six up on the lot of you.

Which wall's the door in?

You set that poor kid up! You held Dode like a card 'till you could play him.

Maybe I'll just sit here and bleed at you.

[in flashback] You're the only thing I love!

I'm looking to find this big game the Pin's played, not to gum it, but just so when its tail jams in my back I'll know who to bill for the embalming.

The Pin

Let's take you back upstairs. Back with the living.

Where you were at, with all of us and the Tug a fist away, you've got to use your nut. Allay the situation. So, yeah, you're not scared of me, I got it, but I'm also thinking you're a little nuts now, so you've got that trade off with your standing. But nuts isn't all bad, so maybe it was a good play. I don't know.

Others

Laura Dannon: Fearless flyer.

Kara: Make sure you wanna know what you wanna know.

Kara: Still wish you knew what you wanted to know?

Dialogue

Dode: I know what you did. I was in the tunnel. I saw you hide her.

Brendan Frye: Dode?

Dode: Anyone I tell, it would ruin you some way. And I'm going to tell someone.

Brendan Frye: Are you making an offer?

Dode: Maybe. Maybe. Or maybe I'll just do you in.

Brendan Frye: Hire another hash head to blade me?

Dode: Don't need no blade, Shamus. I just gotta squawk.

Brendan Frye: What do you want?

Dode: Just to see you sweat.

Brendan: No. And no more of these informal chats. If you have a disciplinary issue with me, write me up or suspend me and I'll see you at the Parent-Teacher conference.

Assistant VP Trueman: Hold it, I could - hold it - could write you up for talking back to a VP. For looking at me in a threatening way. I'd exercise a little more tact, Mr. Frye. You can't pull a play like that unless I need you for something. So do I?

Brendan: Maybe.

Assitant VP Trueman: So maybe you're gonna need me too.

Brendan: Maybe. Alright, I need you off my back completely for a few weeks. There might be some heat soon.

Assitant VP Trueman: If it's something I can't cover, I won't go to bat for you.

Brendan: If I get caught like that it's curtains anyway - I couldn't have brass cutting me favors in public. I'm just saying now so you don't come kicking in my homeroom door once trouble starts.

Assitant VP Trueman: Okay, here's what I can do. I won't pin you for anything you aren't caught at. I'll ride it a little while, as long as it doesn't get too rough. But if anything comes up with your fingerprints on it, I can't help you. Also, if I get to the end of whatever this is and it gets hot and you don't deliver, The Veep will need someone to hand over, police- wise. And I'll have you. There better be some meat at the end of this like you say, or at least a fall guy

Brad Bramish: Hey! What are you doing here?

Brendan Frye: Just listening.

[long pause]

Brendan Frye: All right, you got me. I'm a scout for the Gophers. Been watching your game for a month, but that story right there just clenched it. You got heart kid. How soon can you be in Minneapolis?

Brad Bramish: Yeah?

Brendan Frye: Cold winters, but they got a great transit system.

Brad Bramish: Yeah?

Brendan Frye: Yeah.

Brad Bramish: Oh, yeah?

Brendan Frye: There's a thesaurus in the library. Yeah is under "Y". Go ahead, I'll wait.

Brad Bramish: You know, who invited you?

Brendan Frye: To the parking lot? Gee, I guess I invited myself.

Brad Bramish: Maybe you want to go somewhere more private?

Brendan Frye: [Coyly] With you? Sure.

Brendan Frye: Still picking your teeth with freshmen?

Kara: Well, you were a freshman once.

Brendan Frye: Way once, sister. You and Em were tight for a bit. Who's she eating with now?

Kara: Eating with?

Brendan Frye: Eating with. Lunch. Who.

Assistant V.P. Trueman: You've helped this office out before.

Brendan Frye: No, I gave you Jerr to see him eaten, not to see you fed.

Assistant V.P. Trueman: Fine. Very well put.

Brendan Frye: Accelerated English, Mrs. Kasprzyk.

Assistant V.P. Trueman: Tough teacher.

Brendan Frye: Tough, but fair.

Brendan Frye: Why are you telling me all this? What's your play?"

Laura : You think nobody sees you. Eating lunch behind the portables. Loving some girl like she's all there is, anywhere, to you. I've always seen you. Or maybe I liked Emily. Maybe I see what you're trying to do for her, trying to help her, and I don't know anybody who would do that for me.

Brendan Frye: Now you are dangerous.

Brendan Frye: Your muscle seemed plenty cool putting his fist in my head. I want him out.

The Pin: Looky, soldier...

Brendan Frye: The ape blows or I clam.

Tug: So, clam! What've you got that I can't beat out of you back in the basement?

The Pin: Give us a few minutes, Tug. I'll call you if whatever.

Brendan Frye: Emily said four words I didn't know. Tell me if they catch. Brick?

The Brain: No.

Brendan Frye: Or Bad Brick?

The Brain: Nope.

Brendan Frye: Tug?

The Brain: Tug? Tug might be a drink, like milk and vodka, or something.

Brendan Frye: Poor Frisco?

The Brain: Frisco? Frisco Farr was a sophomore last year, real trash. Maybe hit a class a week, I didn't know him then, haven't seen him around.

Brendan Frye: Pin?

The Brain: Pin. The Pin?

Brendan Frye: The Pin, yeah?

The Brain: The Pin is kinda a local spook story, yeah know the King Pin.

Brendan Frye: Yeah, I've heard it.

The Brain: Same thing, he's supposed to be old, like 26. Lives in town.

Brendan Frye: Dope runner, right?

The Brain: Big time. See the Pin pipes it from the lowest scraper for Brad Bramish to sell, maybe. Ask any dope rat where their junk sprang and they'll say they scraped it from that, who scored it from this, who bought it off so, and after four or five connections the list always ends with The Pin. But I bet you, if you got every rat in town together and said "Show your hands" if any of them've actually seen The Pin, you'd get a crowd of full pockets.

Brendan Frye: You think The Pin's just a tale to take whatever heat?

The Brain: Hmm... So what's first?

Brendan Frye: Show of hands.

Brendan Frye: Brain, I can't let her go. I was set to but I can't. I don't think I can.

The Brain: You think you can help her?

Brendan Frye: No.

The Brain: You think you can get the straight, maybe break some deserving teeth?

Brendan Frye: Yeah. I think I could.

The Brain: Well.

Brendan Frye: Kara tried to rope me. She came right out and asked. She was scared. Tell me to walk from this, Brain. Tell me to drop it.

The Brain: Walk from it. Drop it. But you're thick, Brendan.

Brendan Frye: Yes, I am.

Laura Dannon: Do you trust me now?

Brendan Frye: Less than when I didn't trust you before.

Laura: [On the phone] Who is this?

Brendan Frye: I won't waste your time: you don't know me.

Laura: I know everyone, and I have all the time in the world.

Brendan Frye: Ah, the folly of youth.

Emily: Brendan, I know you're mad at these people because you think I went away from you and went to them but, you need to start seeing it as my decision. Stop getting angry because where I want to be at, is different from where you want to be at.

Brendan Frye: Who fed you that line, Em?

Emily: Stop picking on Dode. He's a good guy.

Brendan Frye: The pie house rat?

Emily: He's a good friend.

Brendan Frye: So, what am I?

Emily: Yeah, I mean what are you? Just sitting back here, hating everyone? Who are you to judge anyone? God, I really loved you a lot. I couldn't stand it. I had to get with people. I couldn't have a life with you anymore.

The Pin: You read Tolkien?

Brendan Frye: What?

The Pin: You know, the Hobbit books?

Brendan Frye: Yeah.

The Pin: His descriptions of things are really good. He makes you wanna be there.

Laura Dannon: I wanna help you.

Brendan Frye: Go away.

Brendan Frye: Look, I can't trust you. You ought to be smart enough to know that. I didn't shake up the party to get your attention, and I'm not heeling you too hook you. Your connections could help me, but the bad baggage they bring could make it zero sum game or even hurt me. Better coming at it clean.

The Brain: What did she whisper to you?

Brendan Frye: She called me a dirty word.

The Brain: All right, you don't have to tell me.

[first lines]

[Brendan answers the pay phone]

Emily: Brendan.

Brendan Frye: Emily.

Emily: Yeah-h... How's things?

Brendan Frye: Status quo.

Brendan Frye: You got a cigarette?

Tug: I don't smoke.

Brendan Frye: I've seen you smoke.

Tug: I don't smoke cigarettes.

Brendan Frye: You gotta come back to me, Em.

Emily: No!

Brendan Frye: You're in a spot but I can get you out of it, if you just come back to me.

Emily: No you're not hearing me! I don't want to be put away and protected.

Brendan Frye: Whatever befalls you I'll deal with. Just tell me about the trouble with the brick, the pin.

Quoternity