The Lookout (2007)

Director:

Scott Frank

Writer (WGA):

Scott Frank (written by)

Release Date:

30 March 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Whoever has the money has the power

Plot:

Chris is a once promising high school athlete whose life is turned upside down following a tragic accident. As he tries to maintain a normal life, he takes a job as a janitor at a bank, where he ultimately finds himself caught up in a planned heist.

Plot Keywords:

Bank | Athlete | Janitor | Planning | High School Athlete

Awards:

1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Joseph Gordon-Levitt	...	Chris Pratt
Jeff Daniels	...	Lewis
Matthew Goode	...	Gary Spargo
Isla Fisher	...	Luvlee
Carla Gugino	...	Janet
Bruce McGill	...	Robert Pratt
Alberta Watson	...	Barbara Pratt
Alex Borstein	...	Mrs. Lange
Sergio Di Zio	...	Deputy Ted
David Huband	...	Mr. Tuttle
Laura Vandervoort	...	Kelly
Greg Dunham	...	Bone
Morgan Kelly	...	Marty
Aaron Berg	...	Cork
Tinsel Korey	...	Maura
Suzanne Kelly	...	Nina
Brian Edward Roach	...	Danny (as Brian Roach)
Martin Roach	...	Loan Officer
Ofield Williams	...	Reggie
Julie Pederson	...	Attractive Woman in Bar
Stephen Eric McIntyre	...	Bartender
Janaya Stephens	...	Alison Pratt
Marc Devigne	...	Cameron Pratt
Courtney-Jane White	...	Cameron’s Girlfriend
Thanya Romero	...	Maid
Paul Christie	...	Jonathan
Tracy McMahon	...	Woman Reading at Bar
Gordie Farrell	...	Motorcycle Couple
Toni Reimer	...	Motorcycle Couple
Ted Felbel	...	Elderly Man with Walker
Charles Crossin	...	Department Store Clerk
Chuck Robinson	...	Farmer on Thresher
Kalyn Bomback	...	Waitress
John Bluethner	...	State Trooper
Leslie Bais	...	Ted’s Wife
Harry Nelken	...	Taxi Driver

Directed by
Scott Frank

Writing credits (WGA)
Scott Frank		(written by)

Produced by
Gary Barber	....	producer
Roger Birnbaum	....	producer
Becki Cross Trujillo	....	executive producer
Jonathan Glickman	....	executive producer
Laurie MacDonald	....	executive producer
Laurence Mark	....	producer
Ivan Oyco	....	associate producer
Walter F. Parkes	....	producer (as Walter Parkes)

Original Music by
James Newton Howard

Cinematography by
Alar Kivilo		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jill Savitt

Casting by
Marcia Ross		(as Marcia S. Ross)

Production Design by
David Brisbin

Art Direction by
Dennis Davenport

Set Decoration by
Stephen Arndt

Costume Design by
Abram Waterhouse

Makeup Department
Alanna Holder-Riches	....	hair assistant
Gail Kennedy	....	makeup artist
Amanda Kuryk	....	assistant makeup artist (as Amanda Lesage)
Barry Olafson	....	hair assistant
Vincent Sullivan	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Jeffrey Chernov	....	executive in charge of production: Spyglass Entertainment
Becki Cross Trujillo	....	unit production manager
Regina Robb	....	production manager
Rebekah Rudd	....	executive in charge of post-production: Spyglass Entertainment

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Coleman	....	first assistant director
Charles Crossin	....	second assistant director
Richard Duffy	....	first assistant director: second unit
Richard Duffy	....	second second assistant director
Martin Ellis	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Ricardo Alms	....	set designer
Aaron Anderson	....	lead set dresser
William V. Baker	....	paint foreman (as William Baker)
Ryan Berzuk	....	assistant props (as Ryan 'Speedy' Berzuk)
Owen Bird	....	on-set dresser
Lloyd Brandson	....	key scenic artist
Nick Burns	....	storyboard artist (as Nicholas Burns)
Greg Gardner	....	graphic artist
Charles Gustafson	....	paint foreman
Megan Heke	....	art department production assistant
Jon Hunter	....	graphic artist
Jason Kenett	....	art department production assistant (as Jason Kennett)
Ryan Koreen	....	art department intern
Debbie Kuzina	....	set decoration buyer (as Deborah Kuzina)
Bill Nicholls	....	scenic carpenter
Gord Peterson	....	assistant art director (as Gordon Peterson)
David Potter	....	lead carpenter
Brian Smith	....	construction coordinator
Chris Sol	....	head carpenter
Larry Spittle	....	art department coordinator
Mark Stratton	....	property master
Tiffany Taylor	....	set production assistant
Heather Brown	....	research assistant (uncredited)

Sound Department
Don Baker	....	second boom operator
Robert Batha	....	assistant sound editor
Kelly Cabral	....	supervising sound editor
Paul Timothy Carden	....	dialogue editor
Melissa A. Corns	....	sound effects editor (as Melissa Corns)
David E. Fluhr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gabriel Guy	....	sound mix technician: Stage A
Leon Johnson	....	sound mixer
Doc Kane	....	adr mixer: Buena Vista Studios
Elizabeth Kenton	....	adr supervisor
Nancy MacLeod	....	sound effects editor
Stan Mak	....	boom operator
Myron Nettinga	....	sound re-recording mixer
Thomas J. O'Connell	....	adr mixer: Warner Bros. Studios (as Tom O'Connell)
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist (as Edward Steidele)
Lauren Stephens	....	sound effects editor
Chris Trent	....	foley mixer
Jerry Trent	....	foley artist

Special Effects by
Robyn Bodin	....	special effects assistant
Kris Bowman	....	special effects assistant
Mark Burym	....	second special effects assistant
Kristin Dunn	....	special effects assistant
Fred Ferjan	....	special effects assistant
Mark Gebel	....	key special effects rigger
Colin Hunter	....	special effects rigging first assistant
Arthur Langevin	....	pyrotechnics supervisor
Rocco Larizza	....	key special effects
Darrell Leschasin	....	special effects assistant
Grant MacDonald	....	special effects assistant
Jim McFall	....	key special effects fabricator
Jim McGillivary	....	special effects supervisor
Laird McMurray	....	special effects coordinator (as Laird Murray)
Craig McWade	....	special effects assistant
Shane Million	....	special effects shop key
Cameron Patterson	....	first assistant special effects fabricator
Ryan Patton	....	first special effects assistant
Muhammad Rana	....	special effects assistant
Martin Samiloff	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Jamie Baxter	....	visual effects supervisor: Custom Film Effects
Steve Caldwell	....	digital compositor: Custom Film Effects
Dennis Dorney	....	digital editorial: Custom Film Effects
Mark Dornfeld	....	visual effects supervisor: Custom Film Effects
Michele Ferrone	....	producer: visual effects, Custom Film Effects
Adam Gass	....	digital editorial: Custom Film Effects
R.J. Harbour	....	digital compositor: Custom Film Effects
Shaina Holmes	....	digital compositor: Custom Film Effects
Lori C. Miller	....	digital art director: Custom Film Effects
Lillani E. Moran	....	visual effects coordinator: Custom Film Effects
Laurie Powers	....	digital art director: Custom Film Effects
Ryan Beadle	....	digital I/O (uncredited)
Sam Dabbs	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Jeremy Lang	....	head of information technology: Custom Film Effects (uncredited)
Everette Webber	....	digital intermediate editor (uncredited)
Amani Williams	....	digital compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Robert Borges	....	stunt performer (as Rob Borges)
Mario De Negri	....	stunt performer
Matt Kippen	....	stunt performer
Jacqueline Loewen	....	stunt performer
Trevor Peluk	....	stunt performer
Wade Poplawski	....	stunt performer
Steve Ritzi	....	stunt coordinator
Chuck Robinson	....	stunt performer
Darren Ross	....	stunt performer
John Sampson	....	stunt performer
Kristen Sawatzky	....	stunt performer
Dan Skene	....	stunt performer (as Daniel Skene)
Rick Skene	....	stunt coordinator
Rick Skene	....	stunt performer
Sean Skene	....	stunt performer
Ken Zilka	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Dominique Balcaen	....	best boy grip
François Balcaen	....	key grip
Russel Bowie	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (as Russell Bowie)
Cary Cooper	....	remote camera technician: scorpio head
Gabriel Daniels	....	key rigging grip
Allen Fraser	....	still photographer
Ron Goodman	....	aerial director of photography
Vanessa Ireson	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Steve Kolodziej	....	digital technician (as Stephen 'Reboot' Kolodziej)
Jason Luke	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Reil Munro	....	daily grip
Anthony Nocera	....	video playback operator
Monty Rowan	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Rob Rowan	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Rebecca Sandulak	....	still photographer
Clint Silzer	....	dolly grip
Terry Thiessen	....	lead grip
Rick Thomas	....	chief lighting technician
Seth Thomas	....	camera intern
Mark Willis	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Jaclyn Young	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Randy Zacaruk	....	camera car operator

Casting Department
Robin D. Cook	....	casting: Toronto
Mariquita Demira	....	casting assistant: Los Angeles
Kathy Driscoll	....	casting: Winnipeg
Janet Farris	....	casting assistant: Los Angeles
Jennifer Koenig	....	casting associate: Winnipeg
Kate Lacey	....	casting associate: Los Angeles
Hollie Meyer	....	casting assistant: Toronto
Elizabeth Moore	....	casting assistant: Los Angeles
Leslie-Ann Reale	....	casting assistant: Los Angeles (as Leslie Reale)
Kari Rieger	....	extras casting
Millie Tom	....	casting assistant: Toronto
Eleanor Erum	....	extras casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carolyn Bradshaw	....	truck costumer
Paula Dunfield	....	costume supervisor
Karen Kristalovich	....	assistant costume designer
Benjamin Raine	....	costume assistant
Amy Sztulwark	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Diedra Bayne	....	apprentice film editor: Canada
Adam Brailsford	....	second assistant editor
Christopher Kutcka	....	imaging supervisor (as Chris Kutcka)
Bob Peishel	....	digital intermediate producer
Jeff Smithwick	....	digital film colorist
Everette Webber	....	digital conforming and opticals
Lee Wimer	....	color timer
Ofe Yi	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Chris Bacon	....	conductor (as Chris P. Bacon)
Chris Bacon	....	orchestrator (as Chris P. Bacon)
Mat Bartram	....	assistant scoring engineer (as Matt Bartram)
Becky Bentham	....	score coordinator
Chris Cozens	....	auricle control systems
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
Thomas S. Drescher	....	music editor (as Thomas Drescher)
Clay Duncan	....	synthesizer programmer
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Tanya Noel Hill	....	music editor: temp music
Charles Martin Inouye	....	music editor: temp music
Alex Kharlamov	....	synthesizer programmer
Alan Meyerson	....	music scoring mixer
Alan Meyerson	....	score recordist
Stuart Michael Thomas	....	composer: additional music
Stuart Michael Thomas	....	orchestrator
Stuart Michael Thomas	....	synthesizer programmer
Greg Vines	....	assistant scoring engineer
Mel Wesson	....	synthesizer programmer

Transportation Department
James Alexander	....	transportation captain
Jason LaFrance	....	picture car coordinator
John Mysyk	....	transportation coordinator
Julia Diana Cereceda	....	unit driver (uncredited)
Corey Walker	....	crew driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Jerry Adams	....	publicity director
Rhia Alcantara	....	office production assistant
Shelly Anthis	....	extras wrangler
Pia Athayde	....	production accountant (as Pia Athayade)
Roxane Becker	....	assistant: Mr. Frank, Los Angeles
Dave Brown	....	weapons wrangler
Milt Bruchanski	....	location scout
Kim Buttlar	....	executive coordinator: Mr. Barber
Jeffrey Chernov	....	production executive
Michael Chirsky	....	assistant production coordinator
Paul Courchaine	....	payroll accountant
Michael Cowles	....	off-set assistant location manager
Brenda Cross	....	assistant: Ms. Trujillo
Janelle Dufton	....	location liaison
Jilene Dyck	....	office production assistant
Andrew Gallinger	....	location assistant
Eileen Gano	....	craft service first aid
Wayne Glesby	....	head of security
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond company representative
Patricia Jagger	....	script supervisor
Suzanne Jurva	....	researcher
Ashley Kravitz	....	script clearance
Allan McGowan	....	security officer
Crystal Mikoluff	....	first assistant accountant
Kimberly Mikoluff	....	production coordinator
Celene Miles	....	accounting clerk
Mimi Munson	....	researcher
Bernard Narvey	....	location manager (as Bernie Narvey)
Benjamin R. Reder	....	production counsel
Dimitrius Sagriotis	....	key location production assistant
Jessica Scott	....	stand-in: female
Tara A. Senior	....	production counsel
Diane Slattery	....	consultant: marketing
Pamela J. Sollie	....	assistant: James Newton Howard
Steve St. Louis	....	location scout
Cliff Sumter	....	on-set assistant location manager
Riyoko Tanaka	....	assistant: Mr. Parkes
Tiffany Taylor	....	production assistant
Marlena Thomas	....	executive coordinator: Mr. Birnbaum
Khali Wenaus	....	assistant: Mr. Frank, Winnipeg
Ryan Wuckert	....	production assistant

Thanks
Phil Joanou	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Miramax Films (presents)
• Spyglass Entertainment (presents)
• Laurence Mark Productions
• Parkes/MacDonald Productions

Distributors

• Buena Vista International Italia (2007) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Spain (2007) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2007) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2007) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2007) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2007) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2007) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Pictures (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Video (200?) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Buena Vista International (2007) (Argentina) (all media)
• Gativideo (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Paradise Group (2007) (Russia) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Custom Film Effects (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Act One Script Clearance  script research
• All Season's Catering  catering
• Angel Studios  score recorded at (as Angel Studios, London)
• Buena Vista Sound  adr (as Buena Vista Studios)
• London Session Orchestra, The  orchestra (uncredited)
• Reder & Feig  production legal services
• Remote Control Productions  score mixed at
• Right Lobe Design Group  titles
• Sound Satisfaction  foley recording facility
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  digital intermediate (as Technicolor Digital Intermediate)
• Warner Bros. Studios  adr

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some violence and sexual content.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R | Germany:12 | Sweden:11 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15 | Malaysia:U | Argentina:13 | Philippines:PG-13 | Finland:K-13 (video rating) (2007)

Filming Locations:

Hartney, Manitoba, Canada

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

The hockey game Chris listens to on the radio was played during the 2005-2006 NHL season between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Detroit Red Wings. Players mentioned include Pascal Leclaire, Manny Malhotra, Mark Hartigan, and Trevor Letowski for Columbus and Robert Lang, Mikael Samuelsson, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Tomas Holmstrom for Detroit.

Goofs:

Factual errors: You cannot lock the keys inside a VW Jetta.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Chris Pratt: It only happens once a year, and then they die. It's like a mating ritual or something.
Kelly: Isn't that romantic?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Night at the Movies: The Suspenseful World of Thrillers (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

One Big Holiday

An absorbing study of depression and rehabilitation

So you want a good heist film? See Dog Day Afternoon, as tense a study in botched robbery and kidnapping to come out of the '70's as any. Don't think the sweet Lookout will carry the same tension because it so heavily relies on the character exposition of its protagonist, Chris (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), that the heist is just an artful ending to an absorbing study of depression and rehabilitation.

Chris, a rock-star hockey player in high school, terminates that celebrity with a reckless accident that leaves him impaired emotionally and physically. So he's easy prey for a gang that entices him to help them rob a rural Kansas bank, where he is a janitor. Up to the point of the gang contacting him, Chris tries heroically to perform actions in a logical sequence. But even his family, especially his father, is impatient with his arrested development, although they are generous in financially supporting him as he goes on the mend.

Writer/director Scott Frank rarely lets Chris out of the frame, to good effect, because the actor and his lamentable past draw us into his narrow world in sympathy but not pity. Chris is determined to arrange his life in a sequence, with the help of his notebook and roomie, a blind and perceptive, bearded, guitar-playing Jeff Daniels, whose lines provide humor and balancing perspective as Chris slips into the heist. Both actors exude realistic, humorous, world weary personas that perfectly reveal the ambivalence Chris brings to this life-defining crime.

The Lookout is a small film, released at dumping time right after the Oscars, but an invigorating study of humans under stress. It begs all of us to "lookout" where we are going, either on a lonely road with our lights turned off or in a plan to steal from farmers who have made life possible.