- He was originally going to direct Rain Man (1988) but abruptly bailed when production was due to start due to "creative differences". Steven Spielberg stepped in but left after a few months, followed by Sydney Pollack who eventually left as well, leaving the project without a director until Barry Levinson signed on.
- Directed one Oscar winning performance: Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman (1992).
- Ben Affleck thanked Brest upon accepting the Best Picture Oscar for Argo (2012), saying it was on the set of Gigli (2003) that he learned to direct.
- Was the original director of WarGames (1983) but was replaced by John Badham. Several of Brest's scenes still remain in the film.
- He was widely known as a perfectionist who nonetheless created a good nurturing environment for actors to do their best work and try out new ideas.
- Brest named Chaplin's City Lights (1931) as his all-time favorite film in an AFI-sponsored poll.
- He was the one who pushed most heavily for Matthew Broderick's casting in WarGames (1983).
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