3 1/2 STARS
This evening I saw a movie that surprised me and I was proved wrong. I will be the first to admit, I have never been a fan of the science-fiction, futuristic time-traveling genre. I don't know why really, it is just a storyline that never really blew my skirt up. It is the same with those, what me and some of my friends call, mindf#$&@ movies like Inception, which was a fine movie, it filled the void for a couple of hours one night in a movie theater, but I have no desire to make it a part of my DVD collection and watch it over and over again. I did love the special effects though.
Today I saw Looper, which of course stars Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (see previous blog for entertainer profile), and Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada). I went into this movie with low expectations because of the futuristic storyline shown in the trailer, even with such a stellar cast. However, a few friends said it was really good so I decided to give it a chance. I am so glad I did. Even with the time traveling, there really was very little science fiction. The plot and the characters were real (well, as much as they can be in these movies), raw, and actually had depth and soul. The movie does take a little time getting off the ground but once it does, it is interesting and intriguing.
Looper takes place in the year 2044 where there are assassins called loopers who kill people sent to them from 30 years in the future, when time travel is illegal, by the mob. These loopers are of course, paid handsomely for their job. However, every once in a while, loopers are involved in a situation called "closing the loop" when the person sent back in time to be killed is the older version of themselves and then they collect a final, larger sum of money and forced to retire. This happens to a young looper named Joe (Gordon-Levitt) when Old Joe (Willis) arrives unexpectedly. The rest of the movie is a cat and mouse chase to close the loop but also kill someone who will put the future in danger.
This movie was written and directed by Rian Johnson (The Brothers Bloom, Brick). The dialogue wasn't cheesy at all. It didn't dwell on all the futuristic crap with conversations that utterly confuse the audience. I not only could follow this futuristic thriller, I wanted to keep following it all the way through. Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were awesome and the scene where they are talking face to face is an awe-inspiring act of writing. The makeup used to make Gordon-Levitt look more like a young Bruce Willis was a primo example of how much detail the makers of this film focused on to make this as believable as possible. However, his face was a little odd looking and the staring I was doing forced me to look away from the movie more than I should have. I did read that he studied Bruce Willis mannerisms by watching his films to help him act more like and if you watch closely, you can totally see them in his face. It also shows the lengths this great actor will go through to master his roles as much as possible. The stand out in this movie was the lovely Emily Blunt, who was not prim and proper in the least. She portrays Sara, a single mom running the farm young Joe comes upon because of a map stolen from Old Joe. She is tough as nails, wielding a Remington like a pro, yet just the right amount of vulnerability when exactly as needed. This character would probably drown other characters Blunt has portrayed in the past, like her breakout in The Devil Wears Prada, without any remorse. I was so pleasantly surprised she could play someone so real who could wield a shot gun and an ax. This movie also brings out a dark and wicked side of Jeff Daniels rarely seen.
I can definitely say go over to the movies and take a chance on this futuristic thrill ride. It's a strong, original plot like, which all of you know I am really into these days. You will not be disappointed and if you are, then try not to go back in time to fix the problem, you might get whacked for it.
Thank you and see you at the next blog.
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