by debbie lynn elias

I am a great admirer of screenwriter Scott Frank. Having penned the 2004 remake of the Jimmy Stewart classic “Flight of the Phoenix”, adapted Elmore Leonard novels like “Get Shorty” and “Out of Sight” and even scripted original works such as “Little Man Tate”, Scott Frank is a master at big screen suspense and character development. With his written vision, it seemed only natural to be on the lookout for him to move into the director’s chair. And now he has. As writer and first time director, Frank seamlessly melds unconventional and compelling characters with a searing realism and dark intensity of a classic film noir thriller in THE LOOKOUT.

Chris Pratt was a hometown Golden Boy. A star hockey player in high school, he was worshiped and adored by his classmates, girls, his well-to-do family and even opposing teams. But come prom night, things changed. In a daring-do move of trying to impress his date and his friends by driving on an empty Midwestern highway with the lights of his car turned off (and on a stretch of highway with no street lights), things go horribly wrong when Chris crashes into a farm vehicle crossing the road, a vehicle he never saw until impact because of his stunt. With his friends killed instantly and girlfriend injured, Chris is thrown from the car some 90 feet suffering major head trauma.

Fast forward several years to Chris Pratt now. Outwardly appearing normal and fully functional, he has severe memory deficit. Not one to give up and wanting to be just like his friends, after extensive rehab, Chris has moved away from his family and now lives with a blind man named Lewis. Unable to grasp simple details of daily living, Chris carries a notebook with him, writing down everything he does and feels in the course of the day - “I get up. I brush my teeth. I take a shower - with soap. Sometimes I cry for no reason.” Able to drive, he goes to an “independent living skills” school during the day and works as a janitor in a local bank at night. Deliberate and determined, you nevertheless see his frustration bubble over at his inability to remember easy tasks like finding and using a can opener or turning off the stove. Fiercely independent and self-sufficient, Lewis is a mentor to Chris. Emotionally supportive and encouraging, Lewis has a wry wit that bodes well in his relationship with Chris and is a valuable tool in teaching life lessons.

With foggy vacillating memories, it is difficult for Chris to make friends, but for Lewis. He hopes for a girlfriend. He hopes to become a bank teller. But for every ounce of encouragement he gets from some, others from his father to his boss, dash his hopes to the ground. As a result, Chris is quite amenable to chit chat from a stranger in a local bar one night; and a little attention from a pretty girl.

Gary Spargo was a couple years ahead of Chris in school, allegedly dating Chris’ older sister. Chris doesn’t remember him but dismisses it as just another empty pocket in his memory. Ironically, Chris’ sister doesn’t remember Gary either. But Gary knows all about Chris. He knows of his accident, his recovery, his memory problems, his obvious loneliness - and Gary plays to all of it. Introducing Chris to Luvlee Lemons, a “friend” of his, Luvlee is like an angel in Chris’ eyes. With a demure coyness hiding her true nature like her floor length granny nightgown, it doesn’t take Luvlee long to wrap Chris around her little finger, middle finger, index finger....well, you get it. But as many of us suspect, coincidences like the appearance of Gary and Luvlee are not coincidences. Turns out Gary is part of a two-bit gang looking to score big by hitting a local bank when the farmer’s cash crop money is delivered. And what better bank to hit than the one where Gary’s “good buddy” Chris works. Torn by his innate sense of right and wrong, but questioning his own mind and the lulling effect of Gary’s promises of glory and total self-sufficiency, Chris faces a quandary he fears he cannot resolve.

A perfectly cast film, kudos and then some go to Kate Lacey and Marcia Ross for their exemplary work. Joseph-Gordon Levitt is masterful as Chris. A complete surprise, I wasn't expecting a performance this strong from him. Always a likeable actor playing likeable characters with an innocent childlike vulnerability, this time he really pushes the envelope to great success showing a whole new complexity and depth in his abilities as an actor. As Levitt himself opined, “This script was just so well written and every character was such a full human being, it made me excited to be an actor. Chris wants to be what he was, but he is who he is.” To prepare for the role, Levitt not only read research materials on neurology and brain trauma, he spent time with several young men who suffered from similar injuries and residuals as his character Chris. Believe me, his hard work paid off here.

Jeff Daniels as Lewis is, of course, amazing. Stealing many scenes thanks to his sardonic irreverence layered with hues of compassion, kindness and joy, his delivery is razor sharp but and leaves one craving more. Like Levitt, Daniels also delved into study calling no the Michigan Commission for the Blind for help. “They taught me the basics of reading Braille and using the cane and things like going up and down stairs. I got to meet a lot of people who’ve lost their sight and really see the attitude of these people and how they’ve overcome their problems.”, all of which Daniels then brought to the table as Lewis. And Matthew Goode, who I have adored since "Chasing Liberty", is unbelievable. Considering the “good guy” types for which Goode is best known, his portrayal of the conniving dark Gary is beyond compelling and convincing. Those eyes of his are so mesmerizing and thankfully, the camera always seems to focus in on them, giving the impression of this beautiful soul yet on the outside he is as dark as dark can be, creating the perfect dichotomy. Throws you completely off balance in a pleasant unexpected way. At age 29, veteran actress Isla Fisher is faultless as the doe-eyed former stripper Luvlee. A perfect compliment to Levitt’s Chris, she has a vulnerability that gives the viewer pause, setting up multiple potential scenarios for the remainder of the film.

Scott Frank has a gift for storytelling. Drawing on his love of thrillers, and particularly the darkness and methodology of those from European filmmakers, he developed THE LOOKOUT. Two other elements entered the mix as well. “I knew someone who had a pretty horrific head injury and the fascinating thing about him is that, when he woke up, he was somebody else. Frank then tossed in his final ingredient. “I read a little about the banking situation in the Midwest and how there were all these little banks that would once or twice a year received USDA money, so that one particular night here might be several million dollars in a vault that usually contained very little.” These are the puzzle pieces that some together to create THE LOOKOUT” - a story that “flowed from that unusual person in that unusual situation.” Tightly scripted, Frank furthers the suspense visually with painstaking systematic precision, much like the meticulous detail in Chris’s little notebook. Cinematographer Alar Kivilo seemed destined to be Frank’s right hand on this film. A consummate visionary in his own right, Kivilo has an affinity for understanding characters and a story resulting in intense visual intimacy. Shooting digitally with the new Panavision Genesis Camera, the dark, and often stark, beauty of the film belies anything but celluloid.

A bit long in the tooth in certain scenes, there are several points so drawn out that tedium builds to annoyance. I think Frank could have trimmed and easy 10 minutes without damaging the story and at the same time creating a greater urgency with the crime that would have played well to the slow deliberateness of Chris. However, given the nature of the character and the story, I can understand Frank’s choice in the slow, tedious and methodical road. There were also a few of Gary’s gang that needed a bit more backstory, not to mention some questions about Luvlee (that I hope will find their way to the DVD) leaving me asking a lot of questions at film’s end.

Gripping, intense and involved with a sympathetic permeating dichotomy, despite a few slips, THE LOOKOUT is the film to be on the lookout for this weekend.

Chris Pratt - Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Lewis - Jeff Daniels
Gary Spargo - Matthew Goode
Luvlee Lemons - Isla Fisher

Written and directed by Scott Frank. A Miramax release. Rated R. (99 min.)