The Lookout (movie)
This was one of those movies that made me want to toss my fledgling Work-in-Progress in the trash. I keep reminding myself The Lookout and my WIP are not the same kind of story so I’m not being fair to myself to compare them, but wow. This is one good movie.
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jeff Daniels, it’s the story of a young man struggling with a brain injury (don’t worry–it’s not all that grim) after a car accident. The accident was his fault and killed two of his friends. Gordon-Levitt is wonderful as an angry, guilt-ridden man trying to pull his life together again. A group of thieves take advantage of his disability to aide them in a bank robbery. The genre is thriller, but the characters are so well developed (with a couple of exceptions) that it’s also a strong story of relationships, particularly that between Gordon-Levitt and his blind best friend, played by Jeff Daniels in one of his best roles ever.
Some of you who enjoy my books may find it a bit too gritty, but it actually has quite a soft feel for a thriller. It grows quite dark at times, but dawn is around the corner. And what a lovely dawn it is!
We rented it from Netflicks and I’m not sure how it ended up on our list, but I’m so glad it did. I’m heading to New Jersey to visit my sister tomorrow, and I plan to watch it again with her.
Four and a half lighthouses. 
I love love love thrillers, but I do not have time to watch movies except Lifetime occasionally.
I read Harlan Cohen ??? who writes good thrillers, and I am going to try to watch some of your suggestions next time I do get movies.
I spend my spare time grading papers…and when I get an hour or so-to the books.
Have fun in NJ (We stay there when we do the NY Marathon-we are not going this year as my son is in the Panama City, FL marathon that weekend. I forget the town, but it is right on the bus line and a few minutes into NYC
He has next year scheduled…Brazil in May (Ironman), Wisconsin in September (Ironman), and NYC Marathon in Nov. (I’ll get to go to NYC but not the others.)
Despite language-I enjoyed Harlan Coben…TELL NO ONE…just read it again
Brenda, I love the title of that Coben book, TELL NO ONE. I’ve never read him, though, but will add him to my list. I hope you get a chance to see THE LOOKOUT. I justify my movie viewing by saying it helps with my writing.
I do agree with the movies/writing. I used to go to movies each Sat…until they became so expensive. When I watch a movie, I want to write. However, my writing is on the back burner-quit the column-for now-although another small paper has contacted me. Quit the novel-it is just plain not good.
I am continuing to work on my nonfiction VIETNAM article and will try later to get it published.
Harlan Coben writes some intriguing books…
I’ve always thought Joseph was a Hottie! Haha and an awesome actor, I’ve seen about every movie he’s been in.
Diane, I’m adding The Lookout to our Netflix queue on your recommendation. Harlan Coben spoke at a writer’s conference I attended years ago–really nice guy, Tell No One is on my book list!
Too many books and movies, too little time. And too little time to write!
Pattie-I am sure Coben was interesting. I have so many authors that I enjoy-about 20-I keep the library busy getting them for me.
I still buy some of my favorites–Diane, B. Delinsky, Carlene Thompson (From WV), Joanne Dobson-mysteries about the protagonist, an ENGLISH prof…etc…
Krysia, he is excellent, for sure. Pattie, I hope you enjoy the movie. I watched it a second time in NJ with my sister and caught some things I’d missed the first time around.