I Didn't See This One Coming

It’s always a bit joyful to rent a movie and find that, more than not sucking, you might actually have come across a pretty decent film.

When The Lookout was being promoted for the theatres, I remember thinking to myself: that looks like an okay movie. It seemed like a slightly odd vehicle for Joseph Gordon-Levitt (as I only really know him from “3rd Rock from the Sun” and Ten Things I Hate About You) because it was definitely a move away from the comedy and/or teen roles he had taken previously. That said, I didn’t go see it in the theatres because a) I live in New York, and movies are fucking expensive and b) if I am going to go see a movie, I want to get the bang-for-my-buck, so to speak: I want to see movies that either utilize the big screen and surround-sound (action, sci-fi, martial arts, etc.) or is so culturally important that I feel it’s imperative I see it immediately (like Superbad, for instance). The Lookout didn’t seem like that kind of movie.

Part of the problem, as I see it, concerning the movie’s success was that the title and trailers seemed to imply something about the movie that wasn’t really central. Gordon-Levitt is barely a lookout in any part of the movie (except, maybe, if you consider that he lives with a blind man, played by Jeff Daniels). The trailers also never mention that Gordon-Levitt’s character, Chris, is mentally handicapped throughout most of the movie. This is such a huge factor in the story, and yet the movie was never sold with that being prominently displayed. Instead, it came across as a crime-thriller, perhaps a bit film-noirish, but not exactly über-innovative. Good, but not “fresh.”

But the movie is “fresh.” Gordon-Levitt’s handicap is the result of a decision he made that went wrong, so there is both sympathy and distance from him as a character. He plays it both charmingly and as an asshole, making the character feel complete and adding tension to pretty much every scene. The most important feature, though, is his difficulty with memory and sequencing (placing things in a narrative order), and this plays out – as my one friend mentioned, repeatedly during the movie – in a very Memento-like way. Similar manipulations from other characters, similar needs for memory devices, all come together in similar ways in both movies. And yet, The Lookout, in not being about remembering the past, but instead coping with the present, provides a completely different take.

Besides Gordon-Levitt, there’s a great performance by Matthew Goode, a British actor who plays American Tough to perfection. Like any good villain, he’s both menacing and charismatic as Gary Spargo, and although it’s obvious from the beginning that he’s using Chris for his handicap and his job at the bank, there’s nevertheless a bond that he creates between the two that sucks you in.

Jeff Daniels, playing Chris’ blind friend Lewis, also does a good job, although a little clichéd at times. His mentor/protector/comic relief role is perfect for Daniels, and yet I was not completely certain if the character was perfect for the movie. It provided a grounding point for Chris – the family when his own family seems so distant – but there was something about him that didn’t seem to mesh with the overall story. Perhaps it’s simply their age difference that gives off an odd vibe.
The biggest detriment, though, are two of the bigger characters in the movie: Luvlee, played by Isla Fisher (of Wedding Crashers fame), and Bone, played by Greg Dunham (a newcomer). Dunham plays the character well, as the dark, mysterious killer who has almost no lines but provides the murderous can-do spirit that Gary needs to keep everyone in line. The only problem is: who the hell is he? Nothing ever gets explained about him – such as how Gary knows this guy – and while he adds a bit of creepiness to the movie, he also detracts from some of the realism. He’s almost too ghoulish to be believable.

With Luvlee, there’s much the same problem. Used by Gary to lure Chris into the scheme, her biggest moment is when she is confronted by Lewis. Unfortunately, we never get a resolution to that confrontation. We see Chris in bed, listening, but the closest we get to him approaching Lewis about the conversation is when he tells Lewis he’s moving out. Worst of all, though, the director keeps showing us Luvlee and Gary being somewhat intimate (affectionate?) whenever Chris isn’t around and yet this relationship is never explained. In fact, about two-thirds into the movie, Luvlee leaves, and we never see or hear from her again.

Still, on first viewing, there’s enough to keep your attention. You do get wrapped up in story and in the way the director sets up the scenes. It was only later, as the credits rolled, that I was left wondering about the girl. Bone, although perhaps not as used as a shotgun-above-the-mantle should be, is generally explainable, and so in the end, you get a unique twist on the bank heist movie. It is dark, it is character driven, and quick enough to help you get past any hang-ups you might be formulating. Ironically, despite its short length, there is an awful lot of time spent on development, which is an overall plus.

I’m glad I didn’t see it in the theatre, and I don’t think there’s enough replay value to own it, but I definitely recommend you renting it.