Looper (B or 3/4 stars)
In the world of 'Looper' (written/directed by Rian Johnson, Brick, The Brothers Bloom), time travel exists but has been outlawed in the year 2074; only to be used by mobsters eager to eliminate their enemies & leave no trace behind. These enemies, heads hooded, hands bound, appear in a cornfield to be blown away by "loopers", assassins from the year 2044 who are waiting to mop up. Working as a looper has let Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) indulge his taste for classic cars, hookers, & drugs (administered by eye drops). But he's also on edge. Joe's boss, Abe (Jeff Daniels), hints that "The Rainmaker", a criminal mastermind from 2074, is "closing the loops". This means he's sending loopers back from the future to 2044 to be killed by their younger selves -- a clean slate, so to speak.
Joe is doing swell as a looper until the day the mob bosses decide to close his loop, sending back Joe's future self for assassination. And yet, Joe hesitates just enough at the sight of his older self (Bruce Willis) awaiting execution that old Joe is able to run off with his own mysterious agenda. See, in 2074, the Rainmaker, responsible for killing old Joe's wife, was just a little boy in 2044. And so, If old Joe can dodge his younger self, & kill the Rainmaker as a kid (he has 3 possible child names), his future wife can be saved. Fate leads both Joes to the lonely sugarcane farmhouse of Sara (Emily Blunt), who is trying to raise her son Cid (Pierce Gagnon); a child with deadly telekinetic powers. All the while, hot on their trail is a group of assassins sent by Abe to kill Joe. Craziness ensues.
Gordon-Levitt's role requires him to spend most of the film as an anti-hero. And yet, despite that, we develop a connection with him & humanity breaks through thanks to the Sara & Sid characters. I also love how JGL altered his voice & facial expressions to appear like a younger Bruce Willis (also aided by a prosthetic nose, changed upper lip, & contact lenses). These actors form a tricky emotional bond, notably in a great diner scene that tests the 2 men's sense of self. That is what gives this film distinction. Also, amid the good acting, action, & dollops of gore, there are touching moments - especially whenever Gordon-Levitt interacts with Blunt & the young Gagnon. Blunt portrays a very tough woman, but she imbues her with warmth & vulnerability, as well. And though Willis's Joe does some truly deplorable things, he's also self-loathing, & there's the romantic notion that he's doing what he's doing to save his wife.
'Looper' is a fascinating little sci-fi thriller with twisty time travel components & mysteries to unravel. The encounters btwn. Joe's present & future self (in which each must account for its betrayal of the other) are cool. The art direction wonderfully suggests the future without grossly changing it. The sci-fi premise is unique. And the movie asks interesting philosophical/moral questions. i.e., would you consider killing a child if you knew it meant saving future lives from the monster he may grow up to be? All that said, the initially well thought-out premise falls off a bit, & the movie becomes rife with "huh?" moments throughout its 2nd hour.
Though Rian Johnson does the he can with his ambitious ideas, the time travel logistics confound me, a bit. And even when/if I get past those logistics, I also wasn't wild about a narrative shift towards the end of the film that took focus away from character(s) that I was invested in, and placed it on someone else. This gave 'Looper' an unsettled feel when I was looking for tightness (given that heady time travel stuff). You know, as I was watching 'Looper', I was entertained. I knew it was a quality film. And I still feel that way. But it does lack a certain ... je ne sais quoi. Scene in & scene out, everything is executed well. But the script leaves little wiggle room for character or plot spontaneities. However slick & skilled 'Looper' is, that is what keeps it from being truly great, in my mind.
Joe is doing swell as a looper until the day the mob bosses decide to close his loop, sending back Joe's future self for assassination. And yet, Joe hesitates just enough at the sight of his older self (Bruce Willis) awaiting execution that old Joe is able to run off with his own mysterious agenda. See, in 2074, the Rainmaker, responsible for killing old Joe's wife, was just a little boy in 2044. And so, If old Joe can dodge his younger self, & kill the Rainmaker as a kid (he has 3 possible child names), his future wife can be saved. Fate leads both Joes to the lonely sugarcane farmhouse of Sara (Emily Blunt), who is trying to raise her son Cid (Pierce Gagnon); a child with deadly telekinetic powers. All the while, hot on their trail is a group of assassins sent by Abe to kill Joe. Craziness ensues.
Gordon-Levitt's role requires him to spend most of the film as an anti-hero. And yet, despite that, we develop a connection with him & humanity breaks through thanks to the Sara & Sid characters. I also love how JGL altered his voice & facial expressions to appear like a younger Bruce Willis (also aided by a prosthetic nose, changed upper lip, & contact lenses). These actors form a tricky emotional bond, notably in a great diner scene that tests the 2 men's sense of self. That is what gives this film distinction. Also, amid the good acting, action, & dollops of gore, there are touching moments - especially whenever Gordon-Levitt interacts with Blunt & the young Gagnon. Blunt portrays a very tough woman, but she imbues her with warmth & vulnerability, as well. And though Willis's Joe does some truly deplorable things, he's also self-loathing, & there's the romantic notion that he's doing what he's doing to save his wife.
'Looper' is a fascinating little sci-fi thriller with twisty time travel components & mysteries to unravel. The encounters btwn. Joe's present & future self (in which each must account for its betrayal of the other) are cool. The art direction wonderfully suggests the future without grossly changing it. The sci-fi premise is unique. And the movie asks interesting philosophical/moral questions. i.e., would you consider killing a child if you knew it meant saving future lives from the monster he may grow up to be? All that said, the initially well thought-out premise falls off a bit, & the movie becomes rife with "huh?" moments throughout its 2nd hour.
Though Rian Johnson does the he can with his ambitious ideas, the time travel logistics confound me, a bit. And even when/if I get past those logistics, I also wasn't wild about a narrative shift towards the end of the film that took focus away from character(s) that I was invested in, and placed it on someone else. This gave 'Looper' an unsettled feel when I was looking for tightness (given that heady time travel stuff). You know, as I was watching 'Looper', I was entertained. I knew it was a quality film. And I still feel that way. But it does lack a certain ... je ne sais quoi. Scene in & scene out, everything is executed well. But the script leaves little wiggle room for character or plot spontaneities. However slick & skilled 'Looper' is, that is what keeps it from being truly great, in my mind.