What Do The Critics Say?

"An entertaining heist flick with some real emotional heft at its center and a series of plot curves that mix the unique and familiar. The Lookout is a must-see." Tom Long DETROIT NEWS "What makes The Lookout such a surprise – a joy – is that it runs wild across multiple genres." Steven Snyder ZERTINET MOVIES "It made time stop and sent me into a contemplative haze. It's one of my favorite films of the year. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a truly staggering talent, follows up Brick by creating another wholly compelling character; sad, a little mysterious, and ultimately heroic." Eugene Novikov FILM BLATHER "Nifty in construction and savvy in execution .. a twisty thriller that's both cannily suspenseful and honestly moving. It isn’t easy to update an old genre successfully. Scott Frank has pulled it off brilliantly, and "The Lookout" is as crafty a film noir as we’ve had in a long while." Frank Swietek ONE GUY'S OPINION "Stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the most promising young American actor since Marlon Brando." Jon Popick PLANET SICK-BOY "First-time director Scott Frank blends nail-biting action with heartbreaking human insight." Frank Wilkins REELTALK MOVIE REVIEWS "benefits substantially from Gordon-Levitt's absolutely stunning performance... David Nusair REEL FILM REVIEWS "Gordon-Levitt's worth the admission all by his lonesome. He's that good - the proverbial young man with an old soul who brings unexpected depth, complexity, and sincerity to what could have been just another damaged-guy role. He's the one to look out for." Robert Wilonsky VILLAGE VOICE

"One of those rare thrillers that offers believable jolts and never talks down to its audience." Dan Lybarger EFILMCRITIC "In a knockout directing debut, Frank cooks up his own mischief. The web he spins will pull you in. Guaranteed." Peter Travers ROLLING STONE "The rare film that manages to balance subtlety with suspense." Christy Lemire ASSOCIATED PRESS "Funny, tender and littered with elegantly written characters played by actors cast for goodness of fit rather than star wattage. Which is about what you’d expect from screenwriter Scott Frank." Ella Taylor L.A. WEEKLY "Intriguing thriller. Two excellent performances by a pair of the best young actors working today." Brian Tallerico UGO "The Lookout makes it a solid and entertaining throwback to the crime thrillers of yesteryear." Stax IGN Movies "Every once in a while it’s my great privilege to see a small film that strikes me as an instant masterpiece." Richard Roeper EBERT & ROEPER "This is Scott Frank's first feature as a director, and it speaks of more good things to come. As the malleable Chris, Gordon-Levitt creates a character both pitiable and redeemable. Peter Howell TORONTO STAR "In an Oscar worthy performance, Gordon-Levitt makes his character a completely believable and genuine one who earns our sympathy without any guile or artifice." Steve Rhodes INTERNET REVIEWS

The Inside Story Acclaimed screenwriter Scott Frank loves thrillers. But even more than thrillers, he loves great characters. This first became abundantly apparent in his early career with his screenplay for the imaginative and romantic thriller "Dead Again", directed by Kenneth Branagh, as well as his moving tale of a misunderstood child genius in "Little Man Tate" directed by Jodie Foster. Frank also became known as the ultimate adapter of one of the most character-driven crime novelists today, Elmore Leonard, with the run-away hit "Get Shorty". This was followed by "Out Of Sight" (1998), an unsparingly clever adaptation of another Leonard novel that put the zig-zagging romance between a rogue criminal and a female Federal Marshall front and center. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, and featuring the breakthrough performances of George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez, the film garnered Frank an Academy Award ® nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. With his latest film "The Lookout", he puts one of the most unconventional and compelling sets of characters he’s ever written at the heart of an audacious small-town crime. His lead character, a completely unlikely hero, is the kind of person that writers typically avoid; a brain-damaged janitor who appears to have little hope for any of the things people usually strive for in life: love, money or a meaningful future. Heartbreaking and seriously damaged, Chris Pratt might not be what anybody expects as the big gun of a heist movie; but that’s exactly what intrigued Scott Frank. "I’ve always loved those European thrillers that were dark and interesting and full of people that you really care about," says Frank. "There’s this overriding sense of dread and suspense because you're so invested in the characters, and I always wanted to write a movie like that." Two additional elements conspired together to inspire Frank to pen "The Lookout". "I knew someone who had a pretty horrific head injury and the fascinating thing about him is that, when woke up, he was somebody else. I thought a person going through that kind of terrifying situation would be very interesting to locate inside a thriller," he explained. "And while I was thinking about that. 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 receive USDA money, so that on one particular night there might be several million dollars in a vault that usually contained very little. These two stories started to come together and "The Lookout" flowed from that unusual person in that unusual situation." The central character in his latest film is Chris Pratt played by rising star Joseph Gordon-Levitt. A popular young man, Chris's life is changed when he is involved in a terrible automobile accident on Highway 24 that's results in the death of two of his friends. Frank gave Chris a series of bizarre yet medically true-to-life elements of traumatic head injury: a lack of short term memory, which causes him to have to write all essential information in a notebook he must carry at all times; lack of inhibition and emotional liability, which causes him to blurt out things he doesn’t mean to say and to be swept away by intense emotions that come out of nowhere; and a complete lack of organization skills, which can turn a simple task like opening a can of food into an epic battle. Chris has come to rely on the savvy of his room-mate, Lewis, a blind man with a sharp tongue and a wicked sense of humor who literally tries to lead Chris’s way through the darkness. Lewis is played by Jeff Daniels. "These are characters who I think have a real emotional pull," says Frank. "And I wanted the suspense of the film to emanate first from that." Readers will be surprised to learn that it took nearly a quarter of a century to bring "The Lookout" to the big-screen. "Scott first told me the general idea for "The Lookout" in the late nineteen eighties and it was literally one of the first pitches I heard as a producer, but soon after, Scott got "Little Man Tate" off the ground and put "The Lookout" aside," Producer Laurence Mark ("I, Robot" & "Dreamgirls") recalls. "The project continued to evolve over the years, but I always felt this movie was in Scott’s DNA. What’s exciting about it is that it is an emotional thriller, and very much a tale from a writer's heart." "For years, "The Lookout" was one of the great un-produced screenplays in Hollywood," notes producer Walter Parkes ("Men In Black" & "Catch Me If You Can"). "What was clear is that this was a very singular piece of writing, and eventually we all started to think this was a fitting piece for Scott to make his directorial debut." But having a first-time director only delayed the making of the film further. Thankfully Spyglass Entertainment producers Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum came to the rescue. "We thought it was a terrific story. At once a taut, smart thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat and a very emotional experience for the audience," says Birnbaum ("Seabiscuit" & "Memoirs of a Geisha"). "It’s a truly remarkable piece of writing and we loved it so much, we knew we wanted to make it." "When we met with Scott, we realized that he already had every single shot in his mind and a great overall vision for the film," says Barber ("Bruce Almighty" & "Evan Almighty"). With the green light lit, Writer and director Scott Frank searched endlessly for an actor who could turn Chris into a real human being. "I thought I’d seen just about everyone," says Frank, "but then I saw a trailer for "Mysterious Skin" with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and I thought 'I don’t think I’ve seen that guy.' When he came into my office, there was just no longer a question. I knew instantly he was going to be in the movie." "We’ve all been kind of waiting for the next generation of great American actors and I think Joe is a part of that. His technique is completely naturalistic and invisible," Parkes said of Gordon-Levitt. Mark agreed adding, "The danger of this role was always that it might be over-done, but Joe shows that less is more by painting a very powerful portrait with very few brushstrokes." Gordon-Levitt recalls the "script was just so well written and every character was such a full human being, it made me excited to be an actor." To prepare for the role, Gordon-Levitt delved into the often bizarre and challenging world of the brain-injured, spending time with several young men who had survived accidents similar to what happened to Chris. But, he quickly discovered there’s nothing cut and dry about playing a person with head trauma. "No two cases of traumatic brain injury are the same," he explains. "I spent time with different people with different conditions and you realize that everybody’s brain does something different when it gets a hard blow, so the symptoms aren’t alike in any two people." 'Joe' even studied up on neurology. "It’s fascinating to find which part of your brain deals with vision, or with finding the right words, or feeling horny or remembering something." The young actor got so far into his character that "after awhile I couldn’t think straight myself." Three time Golden Globe nominee Jeff Daniels plays Lewis, Chris’s blind, acid-tongued roommate and surrogate guardian, who teaches Chris to remember thing by telling the story backwards. It was Daniels’ stunning turn in the "The Squid and the Whale" that caught Frank’s attention. "I saw a part of Jeff in that movie I’d never really seen before," he says, "and I realized he could be funny and reprehensible and sympathetic all at the same time. I just saw all this stuff going on and I thought he’d be a lot of fun to work with. And, as with Joe, the minute we sat down to talk about it, I knew he was going to be fantastic." Walter Parkes added, "With this role and his other recent work, I think Jeff is emerging as one of our great American character actors." Daniels was drawn to the film by the script which was so good it made him say "sign me up." Daniels used the help of the Michigan Commission for the Blind in his home state. "They taught me the basics of reading Braille and using the cane and things like going up and down stairs," he explained. "But even more importantly, 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. It was really a joy to look at life the way they do, so to speak." A film about a bank heist needs a bunch of villians. Far from your standard villains, Gary Spargo and the stripper Luvlee Lemons are complicated people with their own quirks, foibles and stories to tell. British newcomer Matthew Goode was cast as Gary on the strength of his performance in Woody Allen's film "Match Point". "Matthew was so surprising in that film, I felt he could do anything," says the director. "I started reading this script and I thought, this is really a cut above," Goode recalls. "And Gary was such a great character." Birnbaum recalls, "when he came in to read, his head was shaved and he was so dark and handsome and dangerous looking we realized he could be anything. It was a stunning audition." Isla Fisher was cast as Luvlee Lemons, whose sole mission is to seduce Chris. "We met with lots and lots of young women; it was a hard job but somebody had to it!" Frank says with a laugh. "And then Isla came in and just lit up the room and was so clearly right for the part." Fisher admits "I was often pinching myself on set, realizing that I was going to get to say these incredible words.' So was it fun? "I loved every minute," she said. After another extensive search, the production team found their Bone; the taciturn, blood-curdling strongman of the group. "The Lookout" was filmed entirely in Winnipeg, Canada. D.O.P Alar Kivilo shot the film with the brand new Panavision Genesis Camera, the same system pioneered in such recent films as "Superman Returns" and "Apocalypto". Synopsis

Chris Pratt was once a Golden Boy athletic hero in his small midwestern Kansas town. Chris had it all; a beautiful girlfriend, a well-heeled family and a shining future. But after a serious accident, he has found himself in a strange new world where the most basic things seem to fall through holes in his memory and nothing quite makes sense. Unable to make it on his own, he lives with his mentor in navigating this surreal life; the wisecracking, fiercely independent blind man, Lewis. For a job, Chris sweeps the floor at the bank, waiting for his halted life to come unstuck. Everything changes when he finds himself swept up in a bold, multi-million dollar bank heist. After leaving his late-night job as a bank janitor, Chris meets Gary and Luvlee at a neighborhood bar. Though they initially seem genuine, Gary reveals his intentions to rob the bank where Chris works. Chris is quickly in over his head.

The Verdict "Joseph Gordon-Levitt has certainly come a long way since he appeared as Tommy Solomon in the smash hit comedy series "3rd Rock from the Sun" with John Lithgow, French Stewart, Kristen Johnston and Jane Curtin. In fact, this rising star who appeared in some 101 episodes of the show between 1996-2001 is making a real name for himself in the film industry. After acclaimed performances in "Mysterious Skin" and "Brick", Joseph Gordon-Levitt once is once again grabbing the attention of both audiences and critics with yet another outstanding performance, this time in the drama/thriller, "The Lookout". For fans who love movies that fit somewhere between the 'art-house' and 'hollywood' brand, the good news only gets 'gooder'. Gotham Award winner Jeff Daniels gives his best performance in years playing Chris's sympathetic blind housemate and somewhat mentor, Lewis; Matthew Goode who appeared alongside Scarlett Johansson in the lack lustre "Match Point" produces a massive turn around perfomance as Gary Spargo; Australia's former 'Home and Away' star Isla Fisher (with limited screen time) gives a very servicable performance as Luvlee lemons and, while he doesn't say much, Greg Dunham is convincing as the menacing man in black, Bone. Oscar ® nominee Scott Frank ("Out Of Sight"), who already has a proven track record as a screen-writer, makes a successful debut in the directors chair. Full credit to D.O.P Alar Kivilo for his camera work and Oscar ® nominee James Newton Howard ("Blood Diamond") for his soundtrack, both of whom make huge contributions to the success of "The Lookout". Highly recommended. 4 1/2 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "THE LOOKOUT" stars .......
1997 & 1998 YoungStar Award winner Joseph Gordon-Levitt ["The Juror", "10 Things I Hate About You", "Mysterious Skin" and "Brick"]; Matthew Goode ["Chasing Liberty" and "Match Point"]; 2006 Chlotrudis Award winner Jeff Daniels ["The Hours", "Because of Winn-Dixie", "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "Infamous"]; 2006 MTV Best Breakthrough Performance Movie Award winner Isla Fisher ["Swiming Pool", "The Wannabes" and "Wedding Crashers"]; Carla Gugino ["Spy Kids 1, 2 & 3", "Sin City" and "Night at the Museum"]; Laura Vandervoort [TV'S "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" , "Smallville" and "Instant Star"]; Greg Durham ["The Lookout"] and Bruce McGill ["Runaway Jury", "Collateral", "Cinderella Man" and "The Good Life"] as Robert Pratt.
"THE LOOKOUT" was .......
directed by Scott Frank ["The Lookout"]; screenplay by 1999 Edgar Allan Poe Best Picture Award winner Scott Frank ["Little Man Tate", "Get Shorty", "Out of Sight", "Minority Report" and "The Interpreter"]; art direction by Dennis Davenport ["The Long Kiss Goodnight", "The Hurricane", "Frequency" and "Don't Say a Word"]; costume design by Abram Waterhouse ["The Grimm Cycle", "Blizzard" and "Full of It"]; production design by David Brisbin ["Drugstore Cowboy", "The Chamber", "The Proposition" and "The Exorcism of Emily Rose"]; set decoration by Stephen Arndt ["Fear X", "One Last Dance" "Zeyda and the Hitman" and "Full of It"]; edited by Jill Savitt ["Full Moon in Blue Water", "China Moon" and "Secret Window"]; director of photography by Alar Kivilo ["A Simple Plan", "Frequency", "Hart's War", "The Ice Harvest" and "The Lake House"]; original music by Thirteen time ASCAP Film and Television Music Award winner James Newton Howard ["The Sixth Sense", "Signs", "The Village", "Lady in the Water" and "Blood Diamond"]. Who's Who?

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Jeff Daniels Matthew Goode Isla Fisher Carla Gugino Bruce McGill Alberta Watson Janaya Stephens Marc Devigne Alex Borstein Sergio Di Zio David Huband Laura Vandervoort Greg Dunham Morgan Kelly Aaron Berg Tinsel Korey Suzanne Kelly Brian Roach Martin Roach Ofield Williams Stephen Eric McIntyre

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Chris Pratt Lewis Gary Luvlee Janet Robert Pratt Barbara Pratt Alison Pratt Cameron Pratt Mrs Lange Deputy Ted Mr Tuttle Kelly Bone Marty Cork Maura Nina Danny Loan Officer Reggie Bartender

Run Time 98 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2007 - Miramax Films & Spyglass Entertainment - All Rights Reserved ©2007 All Rights Reserved - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.