A nice contrast to the summer's bombast of
Ocean's Ultimatum and
Bourne 13 is this smart directorial debut from
Out of Sight scribe
Scott Frank. The film grossed shy of 5 million at the US box office despite favorable reviews, so hopefully this DVD will spread the word about this small gem. It's not a cinematic epiphany, but a smart, tight thriller that's an easy pleaser.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt turns in a rock-solid performance as Chris Pratt, high-school hockey star and all around popular bloke. Following a crash that would have made James Dean proud, Chris is forced to spend his brain-damaged days constantly writing down reminders of the obvious.
Jeff Daniels plays his always watchable self as the blind roommate watching out for his broken friend.
The supporting cast also does an immense job and one can't help but wonder if writers-turned-directors might work better with actors and dialogue rather than directors that come from a visual background. The cinematography doesn't suffer though,
Alar Kivilo (
The Ice Harvest) lenses the widescreen with bleak, desolate shots of the wintry mid-west.
What I like about this film is that it doesn't pull a
Sixth Sense,
Memento or even a
Basic Instinct. Chris is not a criminal mastermind, sociopath or ghost. The film plays it straight-forward which is both a strength and a weakness. It's nice to see a film not try to bite off more than it can chew, but audiences may feel like they want more.
The Lookout is worth a looksie though, and the DVD hit's stores today retailing at $29.99. The DVD features an interesting commentary with Scott Frank and director of photography Alar Kivilo. Also included are the featurettes "Staging the Lookout" and "Behind the Mind of Chris Pratt" both interesting tidbits.
# posted by Benjamin Crossley-Marra @ 8/14/2007 10:52:00 AM
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