DVD Review: The Lookout

Rated R for violence, language, sexuality

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Matthew Goode, Isla Fisher

The film starts out with a teenage Chris driving at night with some friends down an old country road. In an attempt impress his girlfriend, he turns off the headlights to show them the fireflies, but crashes into a combine, killing their 2 friends, leaving Chris with brain damage that affects his short term memory, and his girlfriend requiring a prosthetic leg.

As years go by, Chris has been learning to live with his disability, by keeping notes in a small notebook and living with helpful aid by blind friend Lewis. Chris holds a job as a night janitor at a small-town bank, however he has desires to become a teller someday, learning from one of the fellow bank tellers and practicing regularly.

Eventually Chris  becomes the target of a gang who is planning on robbing the bank he works for. Knowing of his condition, the gang befriends Chris and uses the lovely Luvlee to seduce him and convince him he is part of their gang. Chris is confused at first, but eventually goes along with the gang, only to realize they are just using him for access to the bank. He decides to take matters into his own hands to put a stop to it.

The Lookout was a very good drama and thriller. It builds the characters very well - you symapthize with both Chris and Lewis, as they both struggle make the best of their disabilities and you hope for the best for them as well. While many may have missed this gem in the theater, be sure not to miss it on DVD, as both Levitt and Daniels give great performances.