So I was unfortunately only able to watch two movies while I was at the hotel last week, but it didn’t stop me from catching one more film on the trip. The van we drove down there (Zach and I, I mean) had a DVD player in it, so while he drove, I sat in the back seat and watched The Lookout, a film obviously inspired by Memento (which I haven’t seen) in some ways, and a crime drama on its own. It stars Joseph-Gordon Levitt as Chris Pratt, a once-promising high school athlete (he played hockey and enjoys the Red Wings; Ken Kal’s voice is actually heard on the radio ;D) who made a bad decision, which changed his life drastically as he suffers a major brain injury, affecting his memory and some of his cognitive functions. So the movie continues after this life-altering mistake, and he is paired with Jeff Daniels via the government. Daniels’ Lewis is blind, and so to help Chris get back to normal, he gets to help take care of him by driving him, and whatnot. But Lewis ends up helping Chris a lot more than that by the end of the film.
Chris works at a bank as the night janitor, while he also copes with his injury. At a bar he meets a local boy, Gary (Matthew Goode, Match Point, Watchmen) and subsequently a girl, Luvlee (Isla Fisher). Those two together change Pratt’s life all over again, and this time, for even worse. I like the build of the movie, and some of the acting is good as well, ranging from Levitt’s greatness, to Daniels’ humor and wit. Goode does a… well… good… (see what I did there?) job as well, and one of his cronies is specifically intimidating. And since I try to be a spoiler-free blog, I won’t say much about the ending, but it is done cleverly. While I don’t think The Lookout will have a lasting impression on me, it was certainly enjoyable. You watch your crime dramas from time to time and some of them feel too familiar, but it is the added quirks and twists that make the ride fun. It was nominated for some Satellite Awards, including best picture- drama (l. to No Country for Old Men), Jeff Daniels for a supporting actor, and screenplay (l. to Juno). The Satellite Awards are chosen by entertainment journalists, so that’s the criteria there. In any case, I would say those nominations are well-placed for a movie that I had previously never heard of.
Michael Night's Miscellany 