The Lookout

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Isla Fisher, Carla Gugino, Matthew Goode
Directed by: Scott Frank
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Thriller
2007

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A hockey player (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) suffers a severe brain trauma, which has greatly deceased his mental capacity. A con man convinces him to help rob a bank, which will have serious repercussions for everyone involved.

Review:

Tim: This was supposed to be a small, edgy independent film that had something to say and was supposed to wow critical audiences. The pieces might all be in place, but this is not a good movie. It has the element—a strong performance by a young actor, playing a not-quite-normal human being; a strong supporting role by an actor playing a disabled man, and a new take on an old story. However, put together, these just don’t resonant. This film was very often boredom, and it takes far, far too long to get to the end. Even at 99 minutes, this film felt too long.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is good as a young man suffering from brain damage. This role certainly gave him the opportunity to showcase his talent, and he does a good job with that. However, the character’s novelty quickly wears off, and we’re left with more annoyance than any vestige of sympathy. Jeff Daniels puts in a good performance as Gordon-Levitt’s blind roommate. He balances kindness with fierce loyalty, and a bit of frustration (as well as acceptance) of his condition. I did enjoy his performance. Isla Fisher is decent, but I wish she had more to do.

The film feels like it takes far too long to get to the point—and then, when we finally arrive at the climax, it feels as if it gets dragged out far too long. The movie is a mess in many, many ways. It is supposed to feel new, but it ends up feeling old—an amalgamation of scenes and pieces from many other movies, all thrown together hastily and shined up for award season. However, I am sure this movie will be overlooked for the big awards, and for good reason. The Lookout is a pretender, a classic film wannabe that has some flash, but no substance. This is small moviemaking at its worst.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 3.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Ice Harvest, Speed, Out of Sight, Get Shorty