I have the money I have the power

The Lookout
Writen and Directed By: Scott Frank
Staring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Matthew Good, Isla Fisher

IMDB Plot Description: An admired high school hockey player (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) with a bright future foolishly takes a drive in the night with his girl friend and two other friends with his headlights off with devastating results. The former athlete is left with a brain injury that prevents him from remembering many things for extended periods of time. To compensate, he keeps notes in a small notebook to aid him in remembering what he is to do. He also lives with a blind friend (Jeff Daniels) who aids him. Obviously, with the mental incapacitation, he is unable to have meaningful work. Thus he works as a night cleaning man in a bank. It is there he comes under the scrutiny of a gang planning to rob the bank. The leader (Matthew Goode) befriends him and gets him involved with a young woman (Isla Fisher) who further reels him in. After they get close and after reeling him in with his own failures, the bank plan unfolds. Confused but wanting to escape his current existence, he initially goes along with the scheme. After realizing he is being used, he attempts to stop the robbery, which of course immediately goes awry. Bruce McGill and Alberta Watson also co-star as the young man's parents, who still search for the person that was there before the tragic crash.
***

The Lookout is an entertaining crime drama with a stellar performance by Joseph Gordon Levitt. As usual he brings a character to the screen with such believability it proves he is one of the best actors among the young hollywood crowd.

The movie has a couple first time director quirks. A bit of the flash that some directors think is necessary but only turn out over the top (the cross reflection in the window is the most obvious). Overall though, Scott Frank gives us an entertaining 90 minutes. Minor annoyances aside, the bumbling deputy, a villain who belongs in a clint eastwood movie (Bones), The Lookout does deliver quite well. Jeff Daniels is great as a blind friend and roomate. The other actors also turn in decent, if overshadowed, performances. The highlight is JGL. He plays his part with such heartbreaking realism that it's hard to notice anyone else. He owns this movie.

I've enjoyed the work of Scott Frank in the past and am looking forward to what's coming up from him in the future.

If you get the chance to see The Lookout, please do. It's worth the 10 bucks ticket price.


Friday 5/4 releases:

Lucky You
Spider Man 3
The Flying Scotsman
The Treatment
Waitress
Civic Duty
Away From Her