Late Night Review: The Lookout

usually, "psychological thrillers" and charcter dramas are contrived, forced and utter rip-offs of their predecessors. they're often unimaginative, unoriginal and simply ordinary. the premise has been overdone, the plot poorly planned, the script uninspired, and the acting is something straight out of a collegiate drama course. the exception to the rule is "the lookout."

i'm not sure where to begin with a description that will do the film justice. jeff daniels will win an award of some sort for his supporting role--where he belongs. and his portrayal of his blind-man character who befriends a former high school star athlete (joseph gordon levitt) who'd suffered severe brain trauma in an auto accident is nothing short of stellar.

the characters' relationship isn't the standard mentor/pupil dynamic. it's a much deeper bond, a true friendship despite their difference in age and background. they look out for one another, and work together to overcome their various disabilities.

naive and lacking the mental capacity to see through the feaux friendship forged with bank heist ring leader, gary (matthew goode), levitt's "chris" gets caught up in a not-so-complex scheme to rob the bank for which he works.

throughout the film, levitt battles flashbacks of his accident, the frustrations of his handicaps, and often struggles with the need for instant gratification the wrong way vs. achieving long term goals the right way. goode's performance is so convincing and true, that it's easy to see how this dilemma becomes so pressing. he's everything a villain should be, but without the typical trappings directors add in to remind the audience he's the bad guy.

the violence is kept to a minimum. there aren't any explosions, and only a handful of gunshots. this is a near-perfect mix of character drama, crime/heist, and suspense. the plot and premise are unique and buck the trend of the high speed chases and large explosions usually associated with heist movies. the script is suspenseful and intense, but with spots of pure humor (provided by daniels, of course) thrown in and the acting all around gives depth to the characters--just as good acting should. "the lookout" is easily one of the best movies released in a long time, and now ranks alongside "the usual suspects" as one of my personal faves. critics give it two thumbs up and a few stars. i give it a solid "A."