The Lookout may not be as startling or controversial, but it's a memorable and stirring effort.
Comment
03/30/07
The Lookout (2007)
87
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:159
Fresh:138
Rotten:21
Average Rating:7.3/10
Consensus: The Lookout is a genuinely suspenseful and affecting noir due to the great ensemble cast and their complex, realistic characters.
Rated: 15 [See Full Rating]
Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins
Genre: Thriller, Mental Illness, Theatrical Release, Crime, Heists
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... [More]
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Isla Fisher, Jeff Daniels, Matthew Goode
Director: Scott Frank
Reviews for The Lookout
A fine, slow-building affair.
03/30/07
We know what's coming, [writer-director] Frank knows we know. His challenge is to make us care regardless. I confess that I didn't.
03/30/07
If you enjoyed any of [writer-director Scott] Frank's previous work, or thought Brick was the bomb, you'll love this.
03/30/07
[Writer-director Scott] Frank isn't afraid to kill off one sympathetic character, or have another simply disappear. And unlike other writers-turned-directors, he's not afraid of his own camera, either.
03/30/07
Instead of a funny heist flick or a comedy with thrills, [writer Scott Frank] sketches out a gentle sine wave of a movie. It oscillates from not very funny to not very thrilling without ever being in a hurry to get where it's going.
03/30/07
Though The Lookout is eventually a genre film, with a tense, bang-up ending, it is also a thoughtful study of a young man trying to make sense of a world that he is having to learn all over again.
03/30/07
The Lookout is without the noose-tightening suspense or moral complexities of similarly themed thrillers. And the rare bits of business or color are too familiar and derivative to be diverting, and point to a conclusion that is ultimately the same.
03/30/07
Credit for the moody and brilliantly inventive caper "The Lookout" goes to director Scott Frank for his sober and edgy script and Joseph Gordon-Levitt for his compelling and star-turning performance
03/30/07
Debuting director and award winning writer Scott Frank unlocks the combination for a highly suspenseful and terrific entertainment.
03/30/07
The reason why [The Lookout] took so long to get produced is readily apparent: The people in this movie may be entertaining, morally complicated, even fascinating -- but persuasive they just aren't.
03/30/07
What makes The Lookout really memorable is Gordon-Levitt's nuanced portrayal of Chris.
03/30/07
As much a moving, mesmerizing exploration of loss and unrequited yearning as it is a nerve-rattling crime yarn.
03/30/07
An entertaining heist flick with some real emotional heft at its center and a series of plot curves that mix the unique and familiar. The Lookout is a must-see.
03/30/07
A smart, tense small-town film noir that manages to be suspenseful and poignant.
03/30/07
The film really hinges on the friendship between Chris and Lewis, which adds a needed emotional component. It's the convincing onscreen relationship between Gordon-Levitt and Daniels that makes the film work.
03/30/07
Scott's script feels as economical and focused as an entry in Chris' diary, and it provides the framework for a thriller that, for the most part, has been hard-boiled to near perfection.
03/30/07
A solid debut. [Writer-director Scott] Frank never overpowers this at-times familiar material. Aiming for a film that's character-driven, he gets sharp performances that hold promise for the nascent director.
03/30/07
A pulse-quickening thriller, but what makes it such an interesting and memorable movie is that it is also a thought piece about what happens when personal brilliance vanishes forever.
03/30/07
From that opening sequence to an ending that's satisfying without being overly sentimental, The Lookout is utterly engrossing. I loved this movie.
03/30/07
Top CriticLatest News for The Lookout
April 28, 2007:
Trailer & Poster review 
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March 29, 2007:
Critical Consensus: Here's To You, "Robinsons"; "Blades" Needs Sharpening; "Lookout" Worth A Look
This week at the movies, we've got trips to the future ("Meet the Robinsons," starring Angela Bassett), ice-capades ("Blades of Glory," starring Will Ferrell... More...
March 29, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: Will Ferrell Goes for the Gold
Two promising new comedies target different age groups and look to close off a red hot March box office with strong opening weekend sales. More...
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