"What the hell are you doing walking so slow?" Patty groaned, running ahead of her best friend, Cire. "Don't you remember the st time we couldn't get the tickets for [The Perks of Being a Wallflower]? Do you want to repeat that experience?"

  "Calm your horses, Pat," Cire said leisurely. "This isn't that big of a film. It's very niche. I don't think there'll be a big crowd for it."

  "I don't care!" Patty retorted. "On the off-ce there is a crowd, I don't wanna wait to see the film."

  Cire rolled her eyes but chose not tue with Patty any further. Thanks to Patty's incessant reminders about Cire's pace, they reached the theater in record time.

  As soon as they arrived, Patty smmed two ten-dolr bills on the ter (surprisingly devoid of other moviegoers) and procimed, "I want two tickets for [Brick]. The show."

  "Ahh," the man at the ter said unfortably. "This is embarrassing."

  Patty turoward Cire and gred. "See! Because of you, I missed the show. It's booked out!"

  Cire angrily retorted, "As if you would have gotten tickets if I had run here at full speed. What good would five minutes do?"

  "Anything is better than not seeing the film!"

  "In your dreams! I—"

  Cire was cut off by the loud clearing of someohroat. The two girls turoward the man at the ter in unison, who was raising his hands to pacify them. "Sorry to interrupt your disagreement, but you wouldn't have gotteickets even if you had booked them five days in advance."

  "And why is that?" Patty snapped.

  "Because we're not showing [Brick]," the man said matter-of-factly. "See for yourself. Do you see any posters of it anywhere?"

  And true to his words, there weren't any posters of [Brick] in and around the theater. The posters dispyed were for [derel Man], [Lords of Dogtown], and [The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants].

  "They're showing it in very limited theaters," the man tinued. "Why don't you girls watch that Sisterhood movie? It was released a few weeks ago and girls love it."

  Ign the man, Cire turo Patty and asked in a forced calm tone, "Yed me here to the movies at 9 in the m for a show that isn't even pying? Don't tell me you didn't even check where it was showing."

  Patty replied in a meek voice, "I thought Warner must have learned from their mistake after [The Perks of Being a Wallflower]."

  "You think?"

  "Don't get snarky," Patty shot back. "Let's go to some other theater."

  "It's not avaible in any theater in the area," the man at the ter said kindly before they could leave. "Maybe it'll e around in a few weeks? It usually happens with limited-release indie films."

  "Ugh!" Patty shouted, ung of her surroundings. "I fug hate Warner Bros! This is the sed fug time!"

  (Break)

  [Brick] opened in only 150 theaters across North America. While that number was solid for a limited-release movie, it was abysmal for a film starring Troy Armitage. This marked Troy's first film to open on so few ss. heless, the PG-13 rating (pared to the R-rating in the inal timeline) worked to its advahe presence of Troy in the lead role also boosted its popurity far beyond what Joseph Gordo could have achieved in the inal version.

  The biggest challenge [Brick] faced was the stiff petition from other films. Russell Crowe's [derel Man], a major release with an 88 million budget, had strong reviews from critid audiences alike. [The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants] and [Lords of Dogtown], each made on a 25 million budget, also had favorable reviews. The former articurly popur with teen girls, while the tter appealed more to young male audiences.

  Teically, the only major strength [Brick] had going for it besides Troy was the critical accim.

  "The story is never clear while it unfolds, but it provides a rich source of dialogue, behavior, and is that will keep you hooked till the st minute. If you miss even a part of it, you may regret it. Troy Armitage as the lead, Brendan, dominates as usual. Because the movie is told from his point of view, there's not a single se where he's not present. The supp cast also delivers great performances, including Emma Stone (Emily), Anna Kendrick (Laura), Michael B. Jordan (Brad), and Noah Fleiss (Tug)." – Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times Rating: 3.5/4

  "I didn't know what to expect from a movie that mashes up film noir tropes with teenage angst, but Rian Johnson's [Brick] blew me away. It's moody, atmospherid unapologetically strange—in the best way. The script is full of cryptig that makes you lean in and pay attention, and the twists keep you guessing until the end. Troy Armitage pletely disappears into his role. It's not a movie for everyone, but if you like your mysteries with a side of high school drama and a heaping dose of style, you'll love this." – Felicity Schwartz, Newsday Rating: 8/10

  "[Brick] is a very pretentious movie. It is difficult to sit through the ey of the film and not ugh at the absurdity of the plot. The characters act as if they are some sort of vilins, but I find it hard to digest some of their as when they are just kids. The only saving grace was Troy Armitage, who once again proves he is a force to be reed with in any role he does." – Rex Reed, Observer Rating: 1.5/4

  While the reviews weren't unanimously positive, the film received praise from the majority, earning an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average score of 7.6/10. Oacritic, it scored 77/100 based on 44 reviews. Although this was a lower rating than most of Troy's ret films, it still outperformed the other movies released during the same period. Moreover, Troy Armitage's dedicated fanbase ensured a sistent audience, as many would watything he appeared in, regardless of the reviews.

  All the positive reviews, Grand Jury Award win at Sundaroy's appearan The Ellen Show, and his retly revealed retionship with Rihanna geed signifit buzz for what was otherwise a small indie film. As a result, there was a frenzy to watch [Brick], especially given its limited number of ss.

  Typically, limited-release films are granted wider distributiohey earn at least 2,000 per theater, but [Brick] exceeded all expectations. On its first day, the film earned an impressive 1.15 million, averaging 7,667 per theater. Saturday saw an additional 1.2 million, followed by 0.95 million on Sunday, resulting in a weekend haul of 3.3 million.

  "Are you sure these are the correumbers?" Barry Meyer asked An Horn in astonishment.

  "100% sure," An replied with a huge grin. "More than a thousand theaters across the nation have requested a print of the film. What should we do?"

  "Order 3,000 more prints," Barry said decisively. "And increase the marketing budget by 3 millio's see how far we take this."

  An nodded in agreement, reizing the opportunity. Their other ret release, [The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants], hadn't mao earn even 1,500 per theater even once ever sis opening day, despite receiving a wide release from the start. It was clear that prioritizing [Brick] was the smart move. The aim was to capitalize on its momentum before their big summer blockbuster, [Batman Begins], debuted in two weeks.

  (Break)

  "A!" Rian Johnson called out.

  Harry Melling, who pyed Dudley Dursley, stepped forward wearing a fat suit.

  "Who is Cedric, Potter? Is he your boyfriend? Is that why you moan his name all night? 'No, Cedrio!'" he sneered, mimig a dramatic cry. His group of bullies erupted in uproarious ughter. "Maybe that's what we should call you now—Harry Poofter!"

  I ignored his childish jabs and looked away, my attention caught by a small child pying with his mother in the park.

  "What are you looking at, Potter?" Dudley asked, following my gaze. A glint of realization appeared in his eyes. "Oh. Poor baby is looking for his mummy. What happeo her, Potter? Is she dead?"

  Hatred surged through me as I stared back at Dudley. Rising from the swing, I pulled my wand from my pocket and jabbed it hard beh Dudley's . Narrowing my eyes, I asked menagly, "What were you saying, Big D?"

  Dudley's friends tinued ughing, but Dudley himself froze, sensing the danger in my tone.

  Suddenly, the wind picked up, gusting fiercely as the sky darkened unnaturally fast. The ughter died immediately, and an eerie silence fell as everyone sensed something was wrong.

  "Dudley, we should go," one of his ckeys called out nervously.

  Dudley g me skeptically. "What the hell are you doing?"

  "I'm not doing anything!" I said forcefully.

  Dudley's friends scattered like leaves in a storm, abandoning him without hesitation. Their panicked footsteps quickly faded, leaving just me and Dudley standing in the ominously quiet park. Without exging another word, we bolted in the dire of what was supposed to be the Dursley home.

  There was no home nearby because the Dursley home was a set created entirely in the Leavesden Studios, but currently we were shooting outdoors. A steadicam operator ran smoothly alongside us, capturing every moment as we sprinted with exaggerated urgency. Soon, we reached the tunnel—a dark, damp passage that echoed our hurried footsteps.

  As we slowed down, I gnced around, sing for threats, real or imagihat moment of distra was all Dudley needed. His fist came out of nowhere, smming into my jaw lightly. But I acted as if it was the worst thing to happen to me. I stumbled backward, my wand slipping from my grasp and cttering onto the tunnel floor.

  "Stop doing it!" Dudley bellowed, his voice crag with fear, before turning and bolting deeper into the tunnel.

  "You're running in the wrong dire, you idiot!" I yelled after him, rubbing my jaw. But Dudley froze mid-stride, terror etched across his face. Although invisible to us o, a dementor was now "attag" him—a dark presehat would be added ter through CGI.

  I dropped to my knees, frantically searg the uneven ground for my wand. My hands scraped against the cold, gritty crete before finally grasping the smooth handle. Before I could react further, a harness and wires jerked me off my feet, smming me against the tunnel wall.

  Suspended in midair, I fought against the restraints, my heart rag. In the film, this would be the moment a dementor attacked me, its skeletal fingers reag for my soul. The realism of the stunt was uling, even knowing the creature would o in post-produ.

  With my wand still in hand, I shoved it forward and shouted with everything I had, "Expecto Patronum!"

  The tip of the wand glowed brilliantly, the effect powered by a cleverly cealed battery pack. The harness released me, and I nded awkwardly but safely on the ground. Panting, I scrambled to my feet, aiming my wand toward Dudley. The gesture seemed to work; his thrashing slowed, then stopped entirely.

  I stayed tense, sing the dark tunnel while catg my breath. My eyes darted to every shadow, half-expeg another dementor to materialize. When none did, I rushed over to my fallen cousin and checked if he was okay.

  "Cut!" Rian Johnson's voice echoed through the tunnel. "Perfect, boys. Take ten before we set up for the Mrs. Figg se."

  Rian was notoriously insistent on using real-world locations for filming. A studio set would have been far more ve, sparing us the chaos of shooting in public areas, but Rian's itment to authenticity always won out. This particur tuucked away near a local park, was no exception.

  As I straightened, I walked over to Harry Melling, who was still on the grouending a hand, I helped him up. The bulky fat suit he wore made it difficult for him to rise unassisted, and he accepted the help gratefully.

  "That was some fiing back there," I said, shaking out the stiffness in my arm.

  He chuckled nervously, brushing himself off. "I hope I didn't hit you too hard."

  "I take it," I replied fidently, massaging my jaw. "No offense, but you don't hold a dle to my Krav Maga instructor."

  I suppressed a shiver at the mere thought of or. That man was relentless and his training sessions gruelingly painful. Though he avoided hitting my face to protect my career, he spared no mercy otherwise. pared to him, Melling's punch felt like a love tap.

  "By the way," Melling said suddenly, his tone a mix of excitement aation. "Think you could get me Rihanna's autograph? I'm a huge fan."

  I raised an eyebrow, eyeing him skeptically. "She's only released one album."

  "That I've listeo a thousand times," he retorted, grinning unabashedly. "Her voice is perfect."

  I nodded slowly, trying to keep my tone casual. "I try. She won't be here in the UK for a long time—she's on tour. And I 't exactly go to her, for obvious reasons." I pointed around the set we were w at.

  Harry Melling tilted his head, giving me a dubious look. "And you're still making it work? Long distance?"

  I shrugged, letting the question hang. He wasn't close enough to know the ins and outs of my retionship, and I wasn't about to start expining.

  "What about you?" I asked, steering the versation away from myself. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

  "Nah, man." He shook his head, a crooked grin creeping onto his face. "Girls tend to find me repulsive. After all, who would date a fat bully like me?"

  His tone was light, almost joking, but there was an unmistakable edge of truth in his words. It wasn't hard to imagine how pying a character like Dudley Dursley could affeeone's self-esteem. The roles actors take on often shape how the public perceives them—sometimes unfairly so. Abigail Breslin, who I'd retly worked with on [Little Miss Sunshine], had fided in me about her own insecurities during filming because of the fat suit she had to wear. ive roles, especially ohat became iic, could haunt an actor's image far beyond the s.

  "I set you up with a pretty bird," I said, keeping my expression dead serious. "Just say the word."

  For a moment, he looked at me dubiously, as if trying to decide whether I was joking. Then he shook his head with a ugh. "I'm fine. I o foy studies for now."

  "Fair enough," I said, ining my head in agreement.

  Before we could tinue, Rian's voice rang out, loud and anding. "Alright, boys! Time for the part of the se."

  Hours ter, after what felt like ay of retakes and adjustments, the day's shoot finally ed.

  "Excellent job, everyone!" Rian called out, his enthusiasm palpable.

  I bumped fists with Melling before heading toward my trailer, ready to shed the b clothes of Harry Potter a bato something my own. But before I could get far, Rian intercepted me.

  "Troy," he began, "we're doh all the Dursley ses. Tomorrow, we start shooting at Hogwarts."

  "I know," I replied, already aware of the schedule. I decided to make some small talk, "So how're you feeling about Brick's success?"

  "I couldn't be happier," He said with a grin. "Thank you for everything."

  "You deserve this," I said with utmost fidence.

  Rian ducked his head in embarrassment before straightening up suddenly. "I almost fot. Here's your script for tomorrow." He handed me a thily bound stack of pages.

  Usually, I wouldn't he daily script because I had the full version with me, but there had been some st-minute ges for reasons that were still unclear. I'd asked Dad about it, hoping for some insight, but he'd been uncharacteristically tight-lipped.

  Flipping through the pages, one se caught my eye.

  "So, it's Harry and Cho's kissing se," I muttered aloud. Kissing ses had bee routine for me—a part of the job that barely registered anymore.

  "Yeah," Rian said, nodding. "You talk to yirlfriend about it in advance if you want."

  I snorted, shaking my head. "That's not necessary."

  "Alright, then." With a wave, Rian walked off to oversee the rest of the .

  As I tioward my trailer, I skimmed the revised script more thhly. Halfway through, I froze.

  "What the fuck," I whispered, my brow furrowing as I reread the se. "Why is Hermione jealous in this se after finding out about Harry and Cho's kiss?"

  _____________________________________________

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