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DVD Review:
The Lookout, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Matthew Goode
THE LOOKOUT
Directed by: Scott Frank
Writer: Scott Frank
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Matthew Goode, Isla Fisher, Carla Gugino
Distributor: Miramax Films
Runtime: 99 minutes
Once in a while, it’s entirely refreshing to watch a movie that doesn’t prop itself on big names, big budgets, big hype, or Jessica Alba. Such a film doesn’t come very often but when it does, like in the case of The Lookout, the story it tells is hard to ignore.
Now available on DVD, The Lookout is a crime drama helmed by screenwriter and first-time director Scott Frank. With a mixed bag of previous writing credits (Little Man Tate, Get Shorty, Out of Sight, Minority Report, and The Interpreter), Frank’s debut as writer-director could have been a disaster.
Instead, it’s clear that Frank lovingly crafts his film like a painter creates his masterpiece – painstakingly, and with as much attention to detail as possible. One of the reasons that The Lookout works on so many levels is because of the script, which doesn’t try to be ostentatious or affected for the sake of scoring some indie cred. Frank creates flawed but relatable characters that go through the motions of life; people who, despite coming from different motivations, ultimately share the same fears, hopes, and regrets like the rest of us. In his protagonist, Chris Pratt, Frank has created a definitive work of art.
The Lookout opens with Chris (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) beginning his day by reciting his morning activities. From the start, it’s clear that there’s something off about Chris, and we soon learn that a horrible car accident has rendered him brain damaged and unable to retain a normal memory. (Luckily, this premise only sets up the plot to follow, rather than veer off into a retread of Memento.) Chris has trouble remembering sequencing, which makes it difficult for him to deal with every day tasks. Once a bright and up-and-coming high school hockey player in a small Kansas town, Chris now attends an adult learning centre in the day, and works as a janitor at night.
The one bright spot in Chris’ life is Lewis (Jeff Daniels), his blind and weathered roommate. Lewis is blunt and crass and probably not someone who would go around hugging kittens, but it’s clear that he is not only fond of Chris, but that he’s also taken it upon himself to act as Chris’ caretaker. In one poignant scene, Lewis patiently walks Chris through the motions of making dinner over the phone – not the first time, it’s implied – and comes home to find a mess and Chris on the floor in a heap of despair.
Wracked with feelings of guilt stemming from the car accident, Chris finds himself drifting through a mundane existence, with aspirations to put a semblance of his life back together. On a particularly restless evening, Chris goes to the local watering hole, where he meets Gary (Matthew Goode). Because Gary is suave and especially nice to Chris, all is not what it seems. Gary claims to remember Chris from high school, and befriends him. But soon, it becomes clear that Gary’s friendship comes at a price when he propositions a vulnerable Chris about robbing the local bank where he works as a janitor.
As well paced and memorable as the script is, the film’s ultimate accomplishment stems from the actors’ combined performances. Of note is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whose work in the past few years (Mysterious Skin, Brick) has impressed critics and placed him on the map as the go-to guy for edgy independent films. Gordon-Levitt, who spent most of his formative youth on “Third Rock From the Sun” as one of the annoying Solomons and then appeared in such Hollywood gems as Halloween H20: 20 Years Later and 10 Things I Hate About You, shines as the tortured hero with a performance so fierce that it’s almost as if he’s trying to erase the past ten years of his acting career. With naturally expressive eyes and a perpetual hangdog expression, Gordon-Levitt easily emotes sorrow without having to say a word, which already puts him levels above his peers. But the true beauty of watching a character actor with this much raw talent is seeing him form a socially awkward moment, an earnest yearning, and a lonely existence into a character that jumps off the screen.
Another surprise performance comes from Jeff Daniels, the same man who brought us Dumb & Dumber and Mama’s Boy (though I have to admit, he was quite good in Pleasantville). Daniels provides the requisite comic relief when it’s needed, but as a scruffy and almost unrecognizable Lewis, he also brings another layer of tragedy to the story. Normally, an appearance by Jeff Daniels evokes the same level of excitement as picking up dry-cleaning or preparing a pot roast, but in this case, it’s notable.
Matthew Goode plays the predictably wicked Gary, and as much as we’re meant to fear him, his performance falls somewhere between Jim Carrey in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and Edward Norton in The Italian Job. It’s only in the moments where Gary and Chris converse about life that the scene becomes uneasy; during the climactic third act, Gary just becomes kind of wearisome. Isla Fisher, one of Gary’s hanger-ons, plays the sweet and naïve Luvlee convincingly enough, but doesn’t have much material to go on. If Luvlee were a stripper when introduced to the screen (of course she’d been a stripper in a past life – you don’t have a name like Luvlee without some background story), she’d be one with a heart of gold, which becomes a trite convention in an otherwise remarkable film.
A quandary in the writing is the obvious foreshadowing and numerous reveals, which happen more than once in the movie. It would be a misnomer to categorize this film as a crime drama. Unlike the standard heist thriller, like Ocean’s Eleven or Heat, The Lookout favours the exploration of human relationships over action and elaborate plot points. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing for this sort of film, but it does run the risk of disappointing those looking for a slow build-up to an exhilarating ending. In the script, it also runs the danger of revealing too much too soon to the audience, even though Chris is frequently incapable of processing this information right away.
Extras on the DVD are scant, but include bonus commentary by writer-director Scott Frank and director of photography Alar Kivilo, as well as two featurettes: “Sequencing The Lookout,” and “Behind the Mind of Chris Pratt.”
Even though the year isn’t up yet, one quick look at the roster of films put out – including those that are yet to be released – makes The Lookout easily one of the best of its year. With a standout cast, remarkable direction, and an unbelievably sad story to tell, this indie drama shouldn’t be overlooked. ¤ C.Ho.
THE LOOKOUT:
(out of 5)