Details
Movie Description
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.
Industry Reviews
"[With] salty language, caper tension and heartfelt drama, it's calculated to please....And please it does."
Box Office - John P. McCarthy (03/01/2007)
3 stars out of 4 -- "[T]he movie belongs to Gordon-Levitt; putting across powerful impulses of shame and anger from behind a veil of blankness and befuddlement..."
Premiere - Glenn Kenny (04/01/2007)
3.5 stars out of 4 -- "[A] haunting and hypnotic film that transcends pulp by creating characters that get under your skin."
Rolling Stone - Peter Travers (04/05/2007)
"Mr. Goode, with his mix of intelligence, cruelty and self-loathing, is both repugnant and fascinating....Most impressive of all is Mr. Gordon-Levitt..."
New York Times - Matt Zoller Seitz (03/30/3007)
"The spirit of Hitchcock returns triumphantly in THE LOOKOUT....The most gripping suspense film of recent years because it makes us care about the people caught up in a life-or-death adventure."
Movieline's Hollywood Life - Stephen Farber (03/01/2007)
4 stars out of 5 -- "Outwardly calm and inwardly broiling, BRICK star Gordon-Levitt is wholly fine as the troubled soul....A polished debut that would make Elmore Leonard proud."
Total Film - Neil Smith (10/01/2007)
3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he characters are intriguingly off-centre....[Gordon-Levitt delivers] a typically edgy turn."
Empire - Alan Morrison (11/01/2007)
3 stars out of 5 -- "THE LOOKOUT is an engrossing character-driven thriller, propelled by the excellent performance of Levitt..."
Ultimate DVD - Nikki Baughan (11/23/2007)
"The real richness of the film lies in its ambiguity and attention to detail. The characters may seem like archetypes, but we are never quite sure what drives them."
Sight and Sound - Geoffrey Macnab (12/01/2007)
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