LOOK – the Movie…
LOOK Who’s Watching
Reviewed by Marilyn Anderson
The new feature film LOOK takes its title and concept from the fact that some 30 million surveillance cameras are out there in the world recording what people do literally everywhere they go. And it’s a fascinating LOOK. A variety of disparate characters are followed as they go through their daily lives─all seen from the point of view of security cameras in various places.
Initially, the characters seem like everyday folks─unremarkable at best─including two teenage girls, an office nerd, a yuppie couple with a child, a horny sales manager, and a convenience store clerk/wannabe musician. In casting the roles, writer-director Adam Rivkin made a distinctive and excellent choice. Despite the fact that several well-known actors wanted to be in the film, the filmmaker resisted. He chose to use unknowns, so that we, the audience, can watch each of them without the persona of a famous actor getting in the way.
Rivkin lets us take our time getting to know these characters, with no preconceived notions. As the movie progresses, all kinds of emotions are evoked. The audience is amused, intrigued, agitated, concerned, and provoked. But never bored.
The opening of the movie is titillating and comical. With the introduction of each of the characters, the story becomes more complex. The tension builds and the individual stories gradually become intertwined and interlocked.
I refuse to give away any of the plot. Suffice it to say, it’s got surprises, laughs, drama,
satire, misogyny, and a harsh dose of reality. And like reality, it’s not neatly tied up at the end.
In addition to being about those omnipresent, all-seeing camera lenses and the fact that no one actually takes the time to watch what’s on them, it’s also about the secrets people keep from others, even those closest to them. The movie works─and works wonderfully. You come out wondering about the people around you─the people you know and the ones you don’t, the guy next to you, and maybe even the person you’re with. What’s their secret? And what’s yours?
LOOK the movie… is definitely worth more than a LOOK
