Brick Mansions

Brick Mansions has quietly become one of the more dependable crime dramas currently available in the US on Kanopy. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Paul Walker anchors it, but the writing does the real work. Available now on Kanopy — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Brick Mansions earns its spot. The plotting in Brick Mansions is tight enough that the twists feel earned rather than assembled. In a dystopian Detroit, grand houses that once housed the wealthy are now homes of the city's most-dangerous criminals. Surrounding the area is a giant wall to keep the rest of Detroit safe. For undercover cop Damien Collier, every day is a battle against corruption as he struggles to bring his father's killer, Tremaine, to justice. Paul Walker and David Belle lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2014. What makes Brick Mansions hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers who think they have seen every crime drama tend to find Brick Mansions proves them wrong. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Paul Walker's performance is the kind that shows up on best-of lists years later. If you have been looking for something to fill the gap left by a recently finished story, this is a reliable answer.