Sept 30: Looper

"In 2072, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past, where a hired gun awaits. Someone like Joe, who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by transporting back Joe's future self."

Directed by: Rian Johnson, Rated: R, 118 minutes

In a day and age where everything that comes to theaters is seemingly another remake, reboot, adaptation, or spin-off, original ideas are hard to come by. With Looper, writer/director Rian Johnson gives us something we have never seen before, pushing the limits of our imaginations and our intelligence as a movie-going audience. It's packed full of visual marvels, has one of the most unique stories I've seen, incredible makeup, and has some pretty damn fine acting from its rather small cast. 

The whole thing just reeks of cool. 

In the future, murder has become something of the past, with tracking devices preventing people from killing off one another. So, the mob utilizes time travel when they want to get rid of someone, sending them back 30 years to be knocked off. Loopers, who work in the present time, are then waiting for their targets to be sent back, and kill them immediately after they arrive. Joe (Levitt) is one of the best and does his job without question. However, when he comes face to face with himself from the future (Old Joe, Bruce Willis), he hesitates pulling the trigger and accidentally lets himself go. What then unfolds is a manhunt through the city, as Joe knows if he can't find Old Joe, he'll be dead sooner than later. The events in the big city lead to a quiet farm in the middle of nowhere where a young woman, Sara (Emily Blunt) and her son, Cid (Pierce Gagnon), play a rather important role in the decisions Joe makes in his hunt for himself. 

Oh, and there's a terrific Jeff Daniels that provides a couple of twisted laughs as Abe, the man in charge of the Loopers. 

If the above description sounds confusing, I apologize. Looper is far from confusing, with everything explained quite simply, with very little loose ends left hanging about by its conclusion. Rian Johnson manages to create a script that's not only mind-blowing in it's originality, but it actually makes sense. The twists and turns the film carries out are also quite unexpected, even when you think you know where the movie is heading. It's in this that the film really shines, as something that makes you think, while leaving you vulnerable for a twist, is quite refreshing. 

Give this guy $200 million and let him make whatever he wants with it!

Along with the script, Looper has some of the best makeup work I have ever seen. The filmmakers used practical effects, makeup, and prosthetic work to turn Joseph Gordon-Levitt into a younger Bruce Willis. Along with Levitt's acting, he completely morphs into Willis, and it's easy to believe they're the same person, or at least related. At first, I thought this idea would be very distracting (from what the trailers made you believe), but the final product is flawless. It's remarkable what they are able to do with a bit of makeup and some plastic, and I expect the makeup department to receive some recognition come the Oscars. It's also worth noting that the special effects look great as well, with Johnson painting a "could-be" picture of the future, blending the familiar with ideas we know are on the horizon. It's dark, it's sad, it's plagued by the poor, and the technology is both plausible and futuristic. 

This video doesn't quite do the comparisons justice, but you can get a feel of how good the makeup is. 

Of course, a movie can't be incredible with just a smart script and stylish visuals. The acting in Looper is some of the best of the year, even resurrecting a rather stale Bruce Willis and reminding us that he can still kick ass and actually act. He has a handful of heart-wrenching scenes that could easily be dismissed with poor acting, but Willis does a fine job in them and really impresses. As mentioned, Joseph Gordon-Levitt does a great job as Joe, bringing his usual charisma and likability to a character who does a lot of dirty work. Emily Blunt also delivers a great performance as the tough "because she has to be", Sara. She's alone on a farm, with just her son, and is strong enough to be believable as a young woman doing it all on her own. And she's sexy, even when she's made to look more "plain". But, the star of the show is the young Pierce Gagnon. This kid gives us some of the best acting I have ever (and I mean ever) seen in someone his age, and he proves to be much smarter than his youth would make you believe. 

This kid CAN act!

Looper is one of the best movies of the year and one of the smartest films to come out in the last decade or so. With an intelligent script that leaves you guessing, great visuals and even better acting, the movie fully delivers. I had this flick on my list of films I could not wait to see, and had actually managed to avoid as much information about it to stay away from spoilers. What I can say is that the few trailers I did see gave absolutely nothing away about the story, and I have to give a tip of the hat to the marketers behind it. There's much, much more at the heart of the story than just your run-of-the-mill action movie, and seeing it all play out is so much fun. Do yourself a favor and reward yourself with Looper. You won't be disappointed. I cannot wait to see what Rian Johnson does next. 

The Good:
great makeup work and visuals that feel like nothing you've seen, and manage to turn something that could have been campy and distracting, into a work of art
The Better:
marvelous performances but a stellar cast, and an introduction to a young talent that has quite the future for himself
The Best:
a great story about time-traveling that doesn't feel too confusing, and manages to deliver something smart

Overall: 9.5/10

Trailer: