"The Lookout"

I am continuing my trend of reviewing movies starring Isla Fisher with a review of “The Lookout.” “The Lookout” is a film about Chris, a former high school hockey star who became mentally handicapped in a car accident. Chris lives a modest life working as a bank’s janitor at night. The custodial work doesn’t pay enough to live on so Chris’s wealthy father pays his rent and deposits, basically, allowance in his bank account to pay for everyday expenses. One night, in a bar, Chris meets Gary, a suspicious character who convinces Chris that he deserves more than to live off of his father’s pity and that he can gain a better life through money. Chris does not realize it at first, but Gary intends to use Chris to rob a bank.

I won’t spend much time discussing the acting or direction except to say that it’s all very good, save Fisher’s character (for the second movie in a row). Fisher plays a sweet ex-stripper who seduces Chris into befriending Gary. I couldn’t decide if she knew that she was luring him into a trap or if her infatuation was genuine. I don’t know if her two ambiguous performances (“The Lookout” and “Hot Rod”) are her own fault or just the result of screenplays unwilling to develop her characters. If it weren’t for “Wedding Crashers” I would be tempted to say that she can’t act. But perhaps she would appear more natural in a role using her own Australian accent not, I don’t know, someone from Kansas. She does what she needs to, though, and does not hamper “The Lookout’s” electricity.

The most intriguing thing about the Lookout was how it set a trap for me, the viewer. The film lured me into the same mindset that I expect Chris had about his own life after the accident. The accident was caused by Chris driving with the headlights off and it resulted in two of his friends dying and his girlfriend not talking to him after she survived the crash as well. Chris lives with the guilt of the accident along with his handicap and struggles to find a purpose to persevere through life.

Trying not to spoil much, towards the end of the movie, Chris’s lack of discretion causes another tragedy. I expected the movie to end with Chris wallowing in the guilt of not having sense to do the right thing for the second time, but that it not what I got. Chris realized that he had an opportunity to do some good, even if it wouldn't fix the situation, and he goes out to do it. Even with all the tragedy the film manages to end on an optimistic note. There is a palpable sense of hope that no matter how you screw up, or how life screws you up, there is always something to live for. It really reminded me of God’s forgiveness: that no matter what awful thing you do, you are still loved and can still make a difference in the world. No matter how poorly you think of yourself, something so much greater still sees you for what you really are: strong, capable, beautiful, lovely.

"Hot Rod" Review

Let me begin this blog by clearing something up: no I am not a real doctor, I just love the respect that the title commands.  I will be using this blog to review things including but not limited to cinema, television, music,  women (that's right ladies, so be extra nice to me or it might just cost you a husband), and dining.  Just kidding about the women.  But maybe not.

My very first review is of the film "Hot Rod," produced by Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels.  The film features several SNL cast members including star, Andy Samberg.  Now I'm not a regular SNL viewer, but I haven't seen anything near as funny as Hot Rod on the show in a long time.  This leads me to my dilemma in writing this review: for all the film's flaws, there are a plethora, it made me laugh more than any other film has in a while.

Samberg's protagonist, Rod Kimble, is a twenty-something aspiring stuntman who lives with his mother, step-father, and step-brother.  Rod is constantly at odds with his step-father, whose respect he tries to win by beating him in a fight.  One day Rod discovers that his step-father needs a heart transplant so he sets out to raise $50,000 performing stunts in order to pay for the heart. He does this not out of love, but so his step-father will be healthy enough to fight him again.

I didn't quite understand Rod.  Most of the time he seemed like a mix between Chris Kattan's character in "Night at the Roxburry" and Napoleon Dynamite.  But sometimes the Butabi-esque desire to appear cool would give way to a whimpering, helpless Rod.  It didn't seem believable that the character would so easily appear pathetic when in most scenes he makes obnoxious efforts to seem cooler than everyone else.  I also, for the life of me, could not figure out why Isla Fisher's character was so willing to be a member of Rod's crew.

But for as puzzling and inconsistent as each of the film's characters are, they are equally hilarious.  The film makes it very clear that it is not in least bit concerned with using effective story-telling techniques or even telling a good story.  All coherence goes out the window if it earns a laugh; and Hot Rod earns many.  I watched this movie on my laptop with headphones on an airplane and I was (more than once) in tears trying to stifle my laughs so as not to disturb the other passengers.  Perhaps the biggest laughs were at Chester Tam's dancing and Richardson who showcased the best moves I have seen since Jack Black in High Fidelity (sorry Jon Heder).  I am glad the movie was kept to under and hour and a half because the end seemed to drag and I grew tired of the story, but for the most part it was extremely enjoyable.

I am determined to start this blog off with a solid review, but with Hot Rod, I am faced with a dilemma.  It was a hilarious movie, but I want to be viewed as a legit credit so I feel like I should hold films accountable for cinematic quality and effectiveness in story telling.  I just can't but recommend Hot Rod though; it's random humor was right up my alley.  My one problem with the humor was that it threw in some unnecessary and unfunny profanity.  Hot Rod's family-friendly laughs eventually became typical crude humor, but that's to be expected for an SNL movie.  But above all, I want a movie to make me feel good.  Hot Rod made me feel good so I will recommend it, but it's a movie that I wanted to share with my friends and family so I don't recommend watching it on a plane.