Release Date: 8/14/07

The Film

I remember seeing the trailer for The Lookout. I remember it played out like one of those coming age films starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, of TV’s Third Rock From the Sun fame, doing his best impersonation of Heath Ledger. After spending some time with the DVD, there was definitely more going than your typical teenaged suspense/thriller, but in the end, it felt like the film bit off a little more than it could chew with its plot and characters.

Chris Pratt (Gordon-Levitt) was once a high school hockey star that lived a life that all nerds dreamed about. He had a beautiful girlfriend and was admired by the entire school for his athletic prowess. However, his life changed on prom night when a horrific traffic accident killed his 2 of his friends and left him suffering from brain damage. Now, coping with life, Chris attempts to regain his life although his lack of social, motor, and practically every other life skill put him at a complete disadvantage.

Things get dicey real fast when a group of would-be friends lure Chris into their gang. Unfortunately for Chris, they’re only into his job as the overnight bank custodian. Preying on his vulnerabilities, the plan is to rob the bank, using Chris as the lookout. However, as the heat turns up, Chris has a change of heart when a friendly town deputy is killed attempting to stop the robbery.

It’s a great idea for a film, but the film fails in keeping things moving along. Sure, it’s a slow plodding film that is building up tension and developing its character. However, it takes far too long to get there, and it almost feels like the first 45-minutes are filler, especially with the almost predictable ending.

The DVD

The main menu comes with an introduction, animated backgrounds, and music. Submenus include static backgrounds with music.

The video is offered in 2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen Format. The colors are a tad on the muted side, however, I’m assuming it’s intentional with the dreary mood and tone. Overall, the picture is extremely clean with great clarity and clean whites. This is a good video transfer.

The audio is offered in English Dolby Digital 5.1 and French Dolby Digital 2.0. Dialogue is clean and audible with some moments of positional sound. With this type of film, you shouldn’t expect much, and fortunately, you get a very substantial track. Subtitles are available in English, French, and Spanish.

The Extras

Audio Commentary is provided by writer/director Scott Frank and director of photography Alar Kivilo.

Behind the Mind of Chris Pratt runs a little under 10-minutes and features interviews with the cast and crew. Mainly focusing on the main character of the film, Joseph Gordon-Levitt goes into how he developed his character and his character’s actions.

Sequencing The Lookout is a 20-minutes piece that offers the usual collection of interviews speaking on the production of the film and the hardships that ensued.

Final Thoughts

The Lookout is your general popcorn fare with some entertaining moments, but with far too many clichéd moments and lines. It felt like more of a made for television movie, but with all that said, this makes for a good Saturday night rental.

- Morris Tang