Brick (2005)

Brick

The Good:
The Femme Fatale, the reluctant investigator tied to the "case" by his heart, the underworld, odd characters, the style and jargon of a classic film noir with a teenage setting - no less dirty and no less complex.
The camera angles were perfect, the settings were gorgeous, the costuming was even pretty sweet.
The music help set the scene at every stage.
Little bits of humor that make you smile.

The Bad:
As with any detective drama, there were parts that were bit slow.
It takes a minute to get used to the actor who plays the main character in a serious role, I kept thinking, "Hehe, he's the kid from Third Rock." That passes though, he does a good job.
For a bit you are confused with what exactly is going on, but that is again par for most in the noir style.

Overall: Pleasantly surprised! I liked this film a great deal. I would say that Laura would even be proud of this film.