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THE LOOKOUT

"Ultimately Redemptive Thriller"

What You Need To Know:

THE LOOKOUT stars young actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Chris Pratt, a popular rich kid in a small Midwestern town. Chris suffers a head injury in a terrible accident caused by Chris's reckless driving that killed two people. Now, Chris struggles with his memory, living on meager funds from his rich father and depending on his independent blind roommate, Lewis. Things suddenly shift for Chris when he meets Gary, an older former classmate who befriends Chris and even hooks him up with a former stripper the same age as Chris. Gary has ulterior motives, however. He's an ex-con who wants Chris's help in robbing the bank where Chris works as night janitor.

THE LOOKOUT is one of the best-written, best-directed thrillers in several years. The story has a classic circular structure that mirrors the insightful character arc that Chris undergoes. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is superb in THE LOOKOUT. His performance holds the movie together. Ultimately, THE LOOKOUT is a poetic, suspenseful, emotional tale of guilt, repentance, penance, and forgiveness with brief allusions to God and Jesus, but this positive Christian content is spoiled by very strong foul language, some sexual content and violence.

Content:

(C, BB, PaPa, LLL, VV, S, N, AA, DD, MM) Light Christian worldview with some strong moral elements and brief allusions to God and Jesus, marred by strong immoral pagan content, but the movie ends on a redemptive note of repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation; about 49 obscenities (including many "f" words), seven strong profanities and two light profanities; strong action violence with a little blood includes strong implied car crash, people shot to death, shots of a fatal accident scene, bank robbers threaten night janitor who has second thoughts about helping them, man punched in stomach, and life of blind man threatened; implied fornication, passionate kissing and a few crude sexual references; partial rear female nudity when woman's lying on bed and upper and rear male nudity; alcohol use and drunkenness; smoking and references to working on a meth. lab in the past; and, lying, deceit, robbery, kidnapping, reckless driving, and father and son are slightly estranged but there is reconciliation at the end.

More Detail:

THE LOOKOUT is one of the best-written and best-directed thrillers in several years, mostly because of the strength of the clever plot and the compelling character arc of the movie’s protagonist. Add to that a standout performance by young actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt of TV’s 3d ROCK FROM THE SUN and taut direction by screenwriter Scott Frank (DEAD AGAIN, OUT OF SIGHT, GET SHORTY, and MOVIEGUIDE® winners MINORITY REPORT and THE INTERPRETER), and viewers get a powerful combination on the silver screen. THE LOOKOUT is an adult drama, however, with very strong foul language, some sexual content and violence.

Gordon-Levitt stars as popular rich kid Chris Pratt, who has suffered a head injury in a terrible road accident when Chris was driving his girlfriend and two friends without his having his headlights turned on. Now, Chris is struggling with his memory, living on meager funds from his rich father, and depending on a blind roommate, a fiercely independent man named Lewis.

Things suddenly shift for Chris when he meets Gary, an older former classmate who befriends Chris and even hooks him up with Luvlee Lemons, a former stripper the same age as Chris. Gary has ulterior motives, however. He’s an ex-con who wants Chris’ help in robbing the bank where Chris works as night janitor. When the plan hits a violent snag, Chris and Lewis’ lives are on the line. It’s up to Chris’ memory tricks and his newfound confidence to try to save the day and overcome tragedy.

The story in THE LOOKOUT has a classic circular structure that mirrors the character arc that the protagonist undergoes. Situations and references in the first half of the movie continue to brilliantly resonate in the second half of the movie, especially the story’s climax and denouement. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is superb. His performance holds the movie together.

Ultimately, THE LOOKOUT is a poetic, suspenseful, emotional tale of guilt, repentance, penance, and forgiveness with brief positive allusions to God and Jesus, but this positive Christian content is spoiled by very strong foul language, some sexual content and violence. A more explicit Christian perspective with much less, very little, or even no offensive content would greatly improve THE LOOKOUT’s spiritual and moral acceptability.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.