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The Lookout (2007)

Director: Scott Frank

3

Time Out rating

Average user rating
2 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

A derivative debut from Oscar-nominated screenwriter Scott Frank (‘Out of Sight’, ‘The Interpreter’), this Midwestern neo-noir follows the ill-fated trajectory of popular high-school jock, Chris Pratt (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who, after a tragic car accident on prom night, suffers from a serious brain injury resulting in crippling memory lapses and poor impulse control. In a desperate attempt to sustain a regular life, he takes a janitor position mopping floors in a rural bank, but gets caught up in a premeditated heist with a shady bunch of thugs who he may have known before the accident.

Making good use of its snow-capped, ‘Fargo’-esque landscape and utilising the existential angst of ‘Memento’, the film generates an admirable sense of unease, but lacks the velocity and taut, provocative structure of those predecessors, resulting in a straightforward genre piece in which double-crosses and surprise twists lead to the inevitable.  Still, Gordon-Levitt is superb as the cognitively challenged protagonist, as is the aptly cast Isla Fisher, in the role of Luvlee Lemons, a sickly sweet femme fatale. Jeff Daniels leaves no scenery unchewed but provides sardonic comic relief as Pratt’s blind, sex-starved roommate. Forgettable fun.

Author: Amy Simmons 2007-10-29 17:03:47

Time Out London Issue 1941: October 31-November 6


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User reviews of this film

  • critique said...
    Posted on Nov 08 2007 11:21 Anaemic, dull, not particuarly cinematic. Agree with Krish that it should have been straight to "video". Lead actor looked like Pinocchio & was only marginally less wooden. Jeff Daniels sticks out like a sore thumb in that he actually has some screen presence.
    Report as inappropriate
  • Krish said...
    Posted on Nov 04 2007 15:09 This shouldve been a straight to "video" movie - however, there is a surpise appearance by Ozzy Osbourne...
    Report as inappropriate

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