The plot swings are surprising, the characters are interesting and multidimensional, and the performers are riveting.
Comment
03/29/07
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
"The Lookout" as that rare character-driven movie that screenwriters dream of creating, and then rush to copy after seeing it. It is a gem of a movie that beckons repeated viewing.
03/29/07
[Director Scott] Frank wrote the film adaptations of Elmore Leonard's Out of Sight and Get Shorty, and at times he seems to be trying for a similar tough-tender tone. But the material here is more fragile than Leonard's, more touchy-feely.
03/29/07
Cinematographer Alar Kivilo supplies a mundane winter-gray look that underscores the story's chilling tone. The Lookout begs to be seen by anyone who enjoys falling under the spell of a good thriller.
03/29/07
Sadder than most crime sagas, The Lookout is less about the crime than a guy trying to keep his wits when his brain only slows him down.
03/29/07
[Gordon-Levitt] is poised to blow away thinking moviegoers with his hugely appealing combination of Keanu Reeves' quirky good looks, Tobey Maguire's engaging mopiness, and a Johnny Depp-esque hunger for offbeat, demanding roles.
03/29/07
The dour, downbeat story eventually spirals into grisly Grand Guignol and contrivance.
03/29/07
Small but satisfying, and you're pleased to find yourself in the company of a writer who knows what he's doing, doesn't showboat yet doesn't turn to stone, and plays straight into the tangy strengths of his script.
03/29/07
Funny, tender and littered with elegantly written characters played by actors cast for goodness of fit rather than star wattage.
03/29/07
Screenwriter Scott Frank makes a sure-handed directorial debut with one of the rare caper films in recent memory that cares more about its characters than tricking its audience.
03/29/07
Character nuance and sly wit trump plot novelty in this immensely satisfying suspense drama.
03/29/07
The sort of thing all movie lovers should be on the lookout for -- an early-spring sleeper, deftly played and smartly written.
03/29/07
Tight, taut noirish thriller also creates some memorable characters.
03/29/07
This film leaves you hoping for a project truly worthy of Gordon-Levitt's gifts.
03/29/07
An edgy, darkly engaging crime caper that's also a taut psychological thriller.
03/29/07
...far more thrilling before it turns into a thriller.
03/29/07
Throwing a mentally impaired dude into a heist drama doesn’t really add much. There are times when the audience will forget that Chris is disabled, partially because Gordon-Levitt isn’t very persuasive.
03/29/07
It's the characters and what they say and think that matter. The job is only an afterthought.
03/28/07
A lean, to-the-bone, expertly acted small-town noir that takes unusual care to cast the moral compass of its characters in various shades of gray. There's just no fat on it.
03/28/07
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as a fellow who has suffered serious head trauma, comes up with such a moody Method assemblage of twitches, tics, and guilty Memento mannerisms that he's not much fun to watch.
03/28/07
Latest News for The Lookout
April 28, 2007:
Trailer & Poster review 
More...
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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