The Lookout (film)
Encyclopedia
The Lookout is a 2007
crime film
written and directed by Scott Frank
, screenwriter of Out of Sight
and Get Shorty
, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt
, Jeff Daniels
, Matthew Goode
, and Isla Fisher
.
The Lookout is the directorial debut of the screenwriter
Scott Frank. It was produced by Birnbaum/Barber, Laurence Mark Productions, Parkes/MacDonald Productions, Spyglass Entertainment
, and Miramax Films
. Miramax distributes the film in the USA, and Buena Vista International
elsewhere.
), his girlfriend Kelly (Laura Vandervoort
) and two friends crash into a stalled combine
on the road. Chris and Kelly survive, but the other two do not. Chris' injuries include brain damage
that affects his short-term memory
in the form similar to anterograde amnesia
.
He's in classes to learn new skills, including the simple sequences of daily tasks, to compensate for his inability to remember, and keeps notes in a small notebook. Challenged by a tough case manager (Carla Gugino
) to build a life despite his injuries, he is supported by his roommate, a blind man named Lewis (Jeff Daniels
), but receives only financial support from his wealthy family. He works nights, cleaning a small-town bank, with regular visitations from Ted (Sergio Di Zio
), a bumbling sheriff's deputy. Chris aspires to train as a teller, but the bank manager, Mr. Tuttle (David Huband
), can barely hide his contempt for Chris' ambitions. It is there Chris comes under the scrutiny of a gang planning to rob the bank. Their leader, Gary (Matthew Goode
), who knew him from high school and resented his wealth and popularity as a hockey star before his accident, befriends him and uses a young woman, Luvlee (Isla Fisher
), to seduce him. Taunted by the gang about the limitations of his life since the accident, he initially goes along with the scheme. His frustrations trickle down into confrontations with his friends, Lewis and Ted.
When the gang arrives the night of the robbery, Chris tells them he has changed his mind. But they tell him it's too late and force him to empty the vault at gunpoint. His friend Ted, the deputy, stumbles into the robbery while delivering doughnuts to Chris, and triggers a shootout. The deputy and two of the gang members, Marty (Morgan Kelly
) and Cork (Aaron Berg), are killed. Meanwhile Chris escapes in the getaway car, and when he realizes he's got the money they stole, he returns compulsively to the site of his accident, where he buries the money. Gary is wounded and gets away with the other bank robber, Bone (Greg Dunham). When Chris returns to his apartment he sees the lights on and realizes something is wrong, and when he calls discovers Gary and Bone have taken Lewis hostage to get the money back. Chris, using his new sequencing skills, hatches a plan to stay alive and save his friend. But the robbers literally catch him napping at the place they were to meet, and they force him to take them to the site of the buried cash.
While Chris digs in the snow to retrieve the money, Gary's condition is rapidly deteriorating. Chris gives one of two bags to Bone, who is preparing to execute Lewis, but Chris pulls out a shotgun he had hidden in the other bag and shoots Bone before he can react. Gary collapses and dies from blood loss. Chris returns the money and turns himself in, but the investigation by the FBI concludes that he was not responsible due to his mental state - and because the robbers failed to disconnect the video surveillance in the bank, allowing the FBI to see the gang forcing Chris to act at gunpoint.
In the end we see that Chris and Lewis have reconciled, and found a way to open up the restaurant they had dreamed about together.
, misspelled Harney in the credits, using the town's Museum, and city scenes were filmed in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Most notably, scenes of the skating rink were filmed behind the Millennium Library
, and the exterior of Chris' apartment was filmed in the Exchange District
and various historic sites in Winnipeg including the Bank of Montreal (1911-13) , the Ambassador Apartments (1909), the interior of the Market Building (1899) and the James Ashdown House at 529 Wellington (1913). The Ambassador Apartments appear on the film's cover.
(154 reviews), 73/100 at Metacritic
(32 reviews), and "B" at Yahoo Movies (13 reviews). Particularly favorable reviews came from Richard Roeper
and Leonard Maltin
, who praised the film as "the best movie so far" of the first half of 2007.
The Lookout won the award for Best First Feature at the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards
.
are credited with additional music. The score was orchestrated by Brad Dechter, Stuart Michael Thomas
, and Chris P. Bacon
, who also conducted. Several songs were featured including "One Big Holiday" and "Lay Low", both performed by My Morning Jacket
.
2007 in film
This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
crime film
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
written and directed by Scott Frank
Scott Frank
Scott Frank is an American screenwriter & director.- Filmography :*Plain Clothes *Dead Again *Little Man Tate *Malice *Get Shorty...
, screenwriter of Out of Sight
Out of Sight
Out of Sight is a 1998 American crime film. The film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and based on the novel of the same name by Elmore Leonard. It was the first of several collaborations between Soderbergh and star George Clooney. The film was released on June 26, 1998. It was nominated for two...
and Get Shorty
Get Shorty (film)
Get Shorty is a 1995 crime-comedy film based on Elmore Leonard's novel of the same name. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starring John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, and Danny DeVito, the plot remained true to the book except for a few minor details....
, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt is an American actor whose career as both a child and adult has included television series and theatrical films....
, Jeff Daniels
Jeff Daniels
Jeffrey Warren "Jeff" Daniels is an American actor, musician and playwright. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan...
, Matthew Goode
Matthew Goode
Matthew William Goode is an English actor. His notable films have included Match Point, Watchmen, Brideshead Revisited, Leap Year, Imagine Me and You and A Single Man.-Early life:...
, and Isla Fisher
Isla Fisher
Isla Lang Fisher is an actress and author. She began acting on Australian television, on the short-lived soap opera Paradise Beach before playing Shannon Reed on the soap opera Home and Away...
.
The Lookout is the directorial debut of the screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
Scott Frank. It was produced by Birnbaum/Barber, Laurence Mark Productions, Parkes/MacDonald Productions, Spyglass Entertainment
Spyglass Entertainment
Spyglass Entertainment is an American film production company, co-founded by Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum in 1998. The studio was founded with an investment from European media conglomerates Kirch Group and Mediaset, and a five-year distribution deal with The Walt Disney Company...
, and Miramax Films
Miramax Films
Miramax Films is an American entertainment company known for distributing independent and foreign films. For its first 14 years the company was privately owned by its founders, Bob and Harvey Weinstein...
. Miramax distributes the film in the USA, and Buena Vista International
Buena Vista Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is a motion picture and television feature distribution company owned by Disney Enterprises, Inc. Buena Vista International was the international distribution arm, Buena Vista Home Entertainment was the firm's video and DVD distribution arm, and Buena Vista...
elsewhere.
Plot
While driving with his headlights off down a country highway, Chris Pratt (Joseph Gordon-LevittJoseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt is an American actor whose career as both a child and adult has included television series and theatrical films....
), his girlfriend Kelly (Laura Vandervoort
Laura Vandervoort
Laura Dianne Vandervoort is a Canadian actress known for her roles as Kara Zor-El in the television series Smallville, Sadie Harrison in the television series Instant Star and Lisa in the television series V....
) and two friends crash into a stalled combine
Combine harvester
The combine harvester, or simply combine, is a machine that harvests grain crops. The name derives from the fact that it combines three separate operations, reaping, threshing, and winnowing, into a single process. Among the crops harvested with a combine are wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn ,...
on the road. Chris and Kelly survive, but the other two do not. Chris' injuries include brain damage
Brain damage
"Brain damage" or "brain injury" is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells. Brain injuries occur due to a wide range of internal and external factors...
that affects his short-term memory
Short-term memory
Short-term memory is the capacity for holding a small amount of information in mind in an active, readily available state for a short period of time. The duration of short-term memory is believed to be in the order of seconds. A commonly cited capacity is 7 ± 2 elements...
in the form similar to anterograde amnesia
Anterograde amnesia
Anterograde amnesia is a loss of the ability to create new memories after the event that caused the amnesia, leading to a partial or complete inability to recall the recent past, while long-term memories from before the event remain intact. This is in contrast to retrograde amnesia, where memories...
.
He's in classes to learn new skills, including the simple sequences of daily tasks, to compensate for his inability to remember, and keeps notes in a small notebook. Challenged by a tough case manager (Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino is an American actress known for her roles of Sally Jupiter in Watchmen, Dr. Vera Gorski in Sucker Punch, Lucille in Sin City, Amanda Daniels in seasons 3, 5 and 7 of Entourage, Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids film trilogy, and as the lead characters of the television series Karen Sisco...
) to build a life despite his injuries, he is supported by his roommate, a blind man named Lewis (Jeff Daniels
Jeff Daniels
Jeffrey Warren "Jeff" Daniels is an American actor, musician and playwright. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan...
), but receives only financial support from his wealthy family. He works nights, cleaning a small-town bank, with regular visitations from Ted (Sergio Di Zio
Sergio Di Zio
Sergio Di Zio is a Canadian actor. He is currently starring in the television series Flashpoint as Michaelangelo "Spike" Scarlatti...
), a bumbling sheriff's deputy. Chris aspires to train as a teller, but the bank manager, Mr. Tuttle (David Huband
David Huband
David Huband , also known as Dave Huband, is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his roles on Cinderella Man as Ford Bond and in the films Cube Zero, Dirty Pictures and The Lookout.-Career:...
), can barely hide his contempt for Chris' ambitions. It is there Chris comes under the scrutiny of a gang planning to rob the bank. Their leader, Gary (Matthew Goode
Matthew Goode
Matthew William Goode is an English actor. His notable films have included Match Point, Watchmen, Brideshead Revisited, Leap Year, Imagine Me and You and A Single Man.-Early life:...
), who knew him from high school and resented his wealth and popularity as a hockey star before his accident, befriends him and uses a young woman, Luvlee (Isla Fisher
Isla Fisher
Isla Lang Fisher is an actress and author. She began acting on Australian television, on the short-lived soap opera Paradise Beach before playing Shannon Reed on the soap opera Home and Away...
), to seduce him. Taunted by the gang about the limitations of his life since the accident, he initially goes along with the scheme. His frustrations trickle down into confrontations with his friends, Lewis and Ted.
When the gang arrives the night of the robbery, Chris tells them he has changed his mind. But they tell him it's too late and force him to empty the vault at gunpoint. His friend Ted, the deputy, stumbles into the robbery while delivering doughnuts to Chris, and triggers a shootout. The deputy and two of the gang members, Marty (Morgan Kelly
Morgan Kelly
Morgan Kelly is a Canadian actor known for his role on Fries with That? as Alexander "Alex" Kurzi. He also appears on Falcon Beach as Lane Bradshaw, a juvenile delinquent and as "Skinny" briefly on Degrassi: The Next Generation. He also played a small part in the film A History of Violence as a...
) and Cork (Aaron Berg), are killed. Meanwhile Chris escapes in the getaway car, and when he realizes he's got the money they stole, he returns compulsively to the site of his accident, where he buries the money. Gary is wounded and gets away with the other bank robber, Bone (Greg Dunham). When Chris returns to his apartment he sees the lights on and realizes something is wrong, and when he calls discovers Gary and Bone have taken Lewis hostage to get the money back. Chris, using his new sequencing skills, hatches a plan to stay alive and save his friend. But the robbers literally catch him napping at the place they were to meet, and they force him to take them to the site of the buried cash.
While Chris digs in the snow to retrieve the money, Gary's condition is rapidly deteriorating. Chris gives one of two bags to Bone, who is preparing to execute Lewis, but Chris pulls out a shotgun he had hidden in the other bag and shoots Bone before he can react. Gary collapses and dies from blood loss. Chris returns the money and turns himself in, but the investigation by the FBI concludes that he was not responsible due to his mental state - and because the robbers failed to disconnect the video surveillance in the bank, allowing the FBI to see the gang forcing Chris to act at gunpoint.
In the end we see that Chris and Lewis have reconciled, and found a way to open up the restaurant they had dreamed about together.
Cast
- Joseph Gordon-LevittJoseph Gordon-LevittJoseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt is an American actor whose career as both a child and adult has included television series and theatrical films....
as Chris Pratt - Jeff DanielsJeff DanielsJeffrey Warren "Jeff" Daniels is an American actor, musician and playwright. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan...
as Lewis - Matthew GoodeMatthew GoodeMatthew William Goode is an English actor. His notable films have included Match Point, Watchmen, Brideshead Revisited, Leap Year, Imagine Me and You and A Single Man.-Early life:...
as Gary Spargo - Isla FisherIsla FisherIsla Lang Fisher is an actress and author. She began acting on Australian television, on the short-lived soap opera Paradise Beach before playing Shannon Reed on the soap opera Home and Away...
as Luvlee Lemons - Carla GuginoCarla GuginoCarla Gugino is an American actress known for her roles of Sally Jupiter in Watchmen, Dr. Vera Gorski in Sucker Punch, Lucille in Sin City, Amanda Daniels in seasons 3, 5 and 7 of Entourage, Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids film trilogy, and as the lead characters of the television series Karen Sisco...
as Janet - Bruce McGillBruce McGillBruce Travis McGill is an American actor who has an extensive list of credits in film and television. He is perhaps best known for his role as Jack Dalton on the television series MacGyver and as Daniel Simpson "D-Day" Day in National Lampoon's Animal House.-Early life:McGill was born in San...
as Robert Pratt - Alberta WatsonAlberta WatsonFaith Susan Alberta Watson , known professionally as Alberta Watson, is a Canadian movie and television series actress.-Early life:...
as Barbara Pratt - Alex BorsteinAlex BorsteinAlexandrea "Alex" Borstein is an American actress, singer, voice actress, writer and comedian. She is best known for her long-running role as Lois Griffin on the animated television series Family Guy, and as a cast member on the sketch comedy series MADtv.A native of Highland Park, Illinois,...
as Mrs. Lange - Sergio Di ZioSergio Di ZioSergio Di Zio is a Canadian actor. He is currently starring in the television series Flashpoint as Michaelangelo "Spike" Scarlatti...
as Deputy Ted - David HubandDavid HubandDavid Huband , also known as Dave Huband, is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his roles on Cinderella Man as Ford Bond and in the films Cube Zero, Dirty Pictures and The Lookout.-Career:...
as Mr. Tuttle - Laura VandervoortLaura VandervoortLaura Dianne Vandervoort is a Canadian actress known for her roles as Kara Zor-El in the television series Smallville, Sadie Harrison in the television series Instant Star and Lisa in the television series V....
as Kelly - Greg Dunham as Bone
- Morgan KellyMorgan KellyMorgan Kelly is a Canadian actor known for his role on Fries with That? as Alexander "Alex" Kurzi. He also appears on Falcon Beach as Lane Bradshaw, a juvenile delinquent and as "Skinny" briefly on Degrassi: The Next Generation. He also played a small part in the film A History of Violence as a...
as Marty - Aaron BergAaron BergAaron Berg, lawyer and graduate of Columbia University in New York City, was active in university alumni affairs. In 1952 he and other alumni organized the National Committee Columbia University Alumni for Dwight D. Eisenhower. Their stated purpose was to tell the positive story of Eisenhower’s...
as Cork - Tinsel KoreyTinsel Korey-Life and career:Korey is a Canadian musician and actress known for playing Aboriginal roles. She portrayed the Makah Emily Young in the Twilight Saga films New Moon and Eclipse. She is set to return as Emily Young in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn...
as Maura - Suzanne KellySuzanne KellySuzanne Kelly is a camogie player, winner of two All-Star awards in 2004 and 2006 and five All Ireland medals in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004...
as Nina - Brian Edward Roach as Danny
- Martin RoachMartin RoachMartin Jamie Roach is a Canadian actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles on Aaron Stone as T. Abner Hall and in the films Cube Zero, Diary of the Dead, and The Lookout.-Filmography:* Producing Parker as Dr...
as Loan Officer - Ofield Williams as Reggie
- Julie Pederson as Attractive Woman in Bar
- Stephen Eric McIntyre as Bartender
- Janaya StephensJanaya StephensJanaya Stephens is a Canadian film actress prominently featured in the Left Behind series of films as Chloe Steele. She is currently on the TV series Flashpoint, playing the character Sophie Lane....
as Alison Pratt - Marc Devigne as Cameron Pratt
Production notes
Although set near Kansas City, Missouri, the bank in the movie was filmed in the town of Hartney, ManitobaHartney, Manitoba
Hartney, established as a town in 1882 in Cameron municipality along the Souris River, is a small town in the South-Western portion of the Canadian province of Manitoba, population 400 . It is named after the legendary Mr...
, misspelled Harney in the credits, using the town's Museum, and city scenes were filmed in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Most notably, scenes of the skating rink were filmed behind the Millennium Library
Millennium Library
A Millennium Library may be:*Millennium Library *A library designation given by the White House Millennium Council...
, and the exterior of Chris' apartment was filmed in the Exchange District
Exchange District
The Exchange District is a National Historic Site of Canada in the downtown area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Just one block north of Canada's most famous intersection, Portage and Main, the Exchange District comprises approximately twenty city blocks and nearly 150 buildings.- History :The...
and various historic sites in Winnipeg including the Bank of Montreal (1911-13) , the Ambassador Apartments (1909), the interior of the Market Building (1899) and the James Ashdown House at 529 Wellington (1913). The Ambassador Apartments appear on the film's cover.
Reception
From critics the film has earned an aggregated score of 87% at Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
(154 reviews), 73/100 at Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
(32 reviews), and "B" at Yahoo Movies (13 reviews). Particularly favorable reviews came from Richard Roeper
Richard Roeper
Richard E. Roeper is an American columnist and film critic for The Chicago Sun-Times and now a co-host on The Roe Conn Show on WLS-AM...
and Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
, who praised the film as "the best movie so far" of the first half of 2007.
The Lookout won the award for Best First Feature at the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards
Independent Spirit Awards
The Independent Spirit Awards , founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit...
.
Soundtrack
The score was composed by James Newton Howard and was his first collaboration with director Scott Frank. Frequent collaborators Stuart Michael Thomas and Clay DuncanClay Duncan
Clay Duncan is an American music composer and synthesist for film, television and video games. He has contributed music to dozens of films including Michael Clayton, Iron Man and Transformers as well as TV shows "Blade: The Series" and "The Grid."...
are credited with additional music. The score was orchestrated by Brad Dechter, Stuart Michael Thomas
Stuart Michael Thomas
-Biography:Stuart Michael Thomas is an American music composer, producer and arranger for film and television. He has been a credited contributor to dozens of films including Michael Clayton, RV, The Lookout and Duplicity as well as TV films such as High Noon, Northern Lights, and Angels Fall. He...
, and Chris P. Bacon
Chris P. Bacon
Chris P. Bacon is a film and television composer living in Los Angeles, California.He scored the films Angels Fall and Blue Smoke, with fellow composer Stuart Michael Thomas.-Filmography:2005...
, who also conducted. Several songs were featured including "One Big Holiday" and "Lay Low", both performed by My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket is an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky.The band consists of Jim James , Tom 'Two-Tone Tommy' Blankenship , Patrick Hallahan , Carl Broemel , and Bo Koster .-History:My Morning Jacket was...
.
External links
- The Director Interviews: Scott Frank, The Lookout at Filmmaker Magazine