“The Lookout” (Miramax)
Better Than Expected
“The Lookout” is the type of independent looking movie that arrives on the scene without much fanfare. People stumble across it more by accident than by intent, but once they view the movie they find they are fascinated by it. Unfortunately by the time this word of mouth endorsement spreads the movie will be out of theaters and on the DVD shelves. But there is still time to see it in theaters and you should.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt of “Third Rock From the Sun” fame plays Chris Pratt, a college hockey star in the Midwest who has it all. His family is well to do and he has a great athletic career plus a beautiful girlfriend. All of that changes in an instant when he crashes his car, kills two of his friends, and severely injures his girlfriend. Pratt is also left with injuries that affect his mental capacity.
He finds a job as a janitor at a bank. He also finds a roommate. This is Lewis (Jeff Daniels) a blind man who helps Chris cope with life. They lead unexciting and uneventful lives until Chris meets up with Gary Spargo (Matthew Goode), a man who claims to know Chris’ sister. They begin to hang out together and Gary even introduces Chris to a girl named Luvlee (Isla Fisher). She builds up Chris’ damaged ego.
Eventually Chris learns that Gary and his friends plan to rob the bank where he works. They want Chris to be the lookout. At first he is tempted to do it because of the money involved, but then he changes his mind. The only problem is Gary won’t let him change his mind.
The movie starts off slowly and lets the characters build in the audience’s mind. Chris’ limitations and abilities are clearly defined and this helps make the understanding of the character clear. Plus Gordon-Levitt does a masterful job of playing this role.
Daniels and Goode are also good in their roles. The believability of them and Gordon-Levitt are what sparks the film and make it so interesting. By the time the bank robbery is upon us the interest in these three characters has risen to a high level.
Sergio Di Zio is also effective in his role as Deputy Ted. Ted comes by the bank each night while Chris is working and brings him doughnuts. He is an affable and faithful friend to Chris. These traits will lead him to be involved in the bank heist and he will trigger a crisis of sorts.
Isla Fisher is okay in her role but it doesn’t add much to the film. Her screen time is limited and the true nature of her character is never revealed. She seems to have genuine feelings for Chris, but then maybe not.
The film is rated R for profanity and violence.
“The Lookout” is a movie that holds your attention from beginning to end. It is a fascinating story that seems to have more depth and impact than it actually contains. The acting and the look of the movie make it impressive and for those reasons it should be seen. It isn’t the best movie of the year but it is an interesting and enjoyable one.
I scored “The Lookout” an observant 6 out of 10.
