2025 Netflix
Rated: TV-MA
Length: 1 hr 39min
Drama ~ Sci-fi ~ Thriller
Directed by: Philip Koch
Starring: Matthias Schweighöfer and Ruby O. Fee
Trapped. Together. Terrified.
FROM NETFLIX:
A couple whose relationship is on the rocks wakes up in the middle of the night to find that they’ve been locked inside their apartment — not by an intruder or a maniacal landlord but by strange black bricks blocking every possible exit. Desperate to escape, they join forces with their neighbors to decode the mystery that’s keeping them trapped. The German thriller BRICK, written and directed by Philip Koch, stars Matthias Schweighöfer (Army of the Dead), Ruby O. Fee (Army of Thieves), and Frederick Lau.
After suffering a pregnancy loss, the relationship between Tim (Schweighöfer) and Olivia (Fee) has been strained. Tim is overly stressed about finishing his work — a video game –– and Olivia feels that he’s been neglecting her. As soon as she calls it quits, however, she opens the apartment door to a solid black wall. Glossy bricks have been stacked up in the entrance and in each window, blocking every chance Olivia has to break away. Now they’re stuck in this together — for better or worse. But they aren’t the only ones: Tim and Olivia’s neighbors are locked in, too. As they traverse the building trying to find an opening, these residents slowly learn that there may be no way out.
THE REVIEW:
I knew going in that this was a German Movie that Netflix had overdubbed. I don’t like Foreign Movies overdubbed with English and I’ll tell you why. It drives me crazy when the words being spoken don’t match the actor’s mouth movements, it really drives me nuts. But I knew that Matthias Schweighöfer and Ruby O. Fee were in it and I really liked them and their chemistry in Army Of Thieves. I was really impressed with the two of them and more so the fact that Matthias starred in and directed the movie. And I have seen a few recent Foreign films Netflix has overdubbed and they seemed like they were getting better at it.
So I was willing to give it a chance and overlook any overflubbing, I mean overdubbing that might be…ummm…..a little off. The overdubbing on this one should be called overflubbing, absolutely horrible. Terrible, the audio was way off from the actor’s actual mouth movements and gestures. In some spots they aren’t even talking and yet you hear them talk………ok, you get the point on the overflubbing, I mean overdubbing. Now on to the acting…….
Terrible, talk about overacting….Frederick Lau as Marvin was horrible, overly dramatic and heavily overacted. Murathon Muslu as Yuri comes a close second to Frederick’s performance. It was all bad acting wise, I give props to Matthias and Ruby, they tried given what they were given to work with. I wanted to give it a better review but as I type this I realize I am just going to beat it up.
There was a scene where Ruby O. Fee grabs a hammer drill, determined to bust through the mysterious black brick wall that has suddenly blocked them in. That scene is the epitome of the fakeness involved. It was painfully obvious that the hammer drill attempt was horribly fake. When they use sledge hammers to bust through the walls between the apartments, the red brick was really fake looking, really bad. And on and on and on…..
I had high expectations of enjoying Matthias and Ruby again but this was not enjoyable, it was painful. And I think this has more to do with direction than anything else. It came off as a B Sci-fi movie, you know the old one with fake props and sets due to a lack of funds. The story was a good premise and showed promise but I think the execution left it all flat…..like a BRICK. Couldn’t resist.
I honestly can’t recommend this one, as much as I like Matthias and Ruby, I gotta say you should avoid this one.
Two Thumbs down, way down.
STREAMING MOVIE NIGHT 