Engaging, smartly directed thriller with fantastic performances from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jeff Daniels, though the script commits a couple of glaring errors along the way.
The Lookout (2007)
Rated: 15
Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins
Theatrical Release: 02-11-2007
Synopsis: Equal parts psychological drama and heist movie, this film from screenwriter Scott Frank is a smart first feature with a strong cast. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Chris Pratt, a young man whose life changes after a car accident. Though Chris survived, he's not the cocky high school athlete... Equal parts psychological drama and heist movie, this film from screenwriter Scott Frank is a smart first feature with a strong cast. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Chris Pratt, a young man whose life changes after a car accident. Though Chris survived, he's not the cocky high school athlete everyone remembers. Instead, a head injury leaves him with memory loss and the need to write everything down in a notebook. After leaving his late-night job as a bank janitor for the evening, Chris meets Gary (Matthew Goode) and Luvlee (Isla Fisher, WEDDING CRASHERS) at a neighborhood bar. Though they initially seem genuine, Gary reveals his intentions to rob the bank where Chris works. Eager for friendship and a return to the person he used to be, Chris is quickly in over his head. After starring in THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN, Gordon-Levitt hasn't gone the typical route of a 20-something actor. There isn't a single mainstream film in his post-sitcom filmography, and he has chosen smart indie fare such as BRICK and MYSTERIOUS SKIN. Though THE LOOKOUT is a larger project, it gives him the chance to shine. Jeff Daniels (THE SQUID AND THE WHALE) adds depth and wry humor with his portrayal of Lewis, Chris's blind roommate. British actor Goode trades in the good-guy roles in CHASING LIBERTY and MATCH POINT for this decidedly darker part. Though THE LOOKOUT lacks the style and humor of Frank's previous screenwriting work in OUT OF SIGHT and GET SHORTY, it's a well-acted film that is worth seeking out. [More]
Genre: Thriller, Mental Illness, Crime, Heists
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Isla Fisher, Jeff Daniels, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino
Screenwriter: Scott Frank
Producer: Walter F. Parkes, Gary Barber, Laurence Mark, Roger Birnbaum
Composer: James Newton Howard
DVD Info
Release:
Feb 8, 2008
DVD Features:
- Region 1
- Keep Case
- Anamorphic Widescreen - 2.40
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English, French
- Subtitles - French, Spanish - Optional
Additional Release Material:
- Audio Commentary - Scott Frank - Director; Alar Kivilo - Director of Photography
- Making of - Sequencing THE LOOKOUT
- Featurette - BEHIND THE MIND OF CHRIS PRATT
Reviews
The Lookout is a well made psychological thriller which only disappoints with its ending.
Full of memorable dialogue and sharp performances, it's let down only by its perfunctory climax.
It's a pity Frank is too busy laying on the wintry atmospherics to make the story grip as it should.
Imagine going to see a film which you won’t remember by the time you are at the bar for a post cinema pint – that is The Lookout.
The film describes emotional and moral rehabilitation in the face of extreme danger.
The Lookout drags itself into four star territory thanks to the startling turn from Gordon-Levitt – a name to, ahem, look out for.
An ingenious heist drama that views its familiar noir elements from an unexpected angle.
Retooling Memento with a hip young cast, Frank’s debut feature steeps its familiar elements in graveyard humour and indie cool. Plot quibbles aside, the result both grips and moves; it’ll be your lookout if you miss it...
It's a refreshing departure from formula and a thriller you won't easily forget.
Plot holes and a mixed tone lessen the impact but Gordon-Levitt holds it together with a strong lead performance.
The idea is intriguing, and the performances excellent, although lead Gordon-Levitt (Brick) is for once outshone by his co-stars.
Until it shifts into a thriller, this film is a provocatively involving drama
Most noirs are coming of age stories where an innocent learns how vicious and cruel the world can be. Only he usually learns it while a hunk of hot lead burns in his gut.
epibebaionei tin ypopsia poy eihes ligo meta tin arhi, oti tha parabei ton basiko kanona poy tosin ora soy promotare: den mporeis na peis mia istoria, an den ksereis poy thes na tin pas
Solid, if somewhat derivative filmmaking. A quiet thriller with some great performances.
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