Chris Pratt (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is not himself. At least, not the himself he once knew and prided about being, the fact of which is slowly driving the one-time High School star athlete with unlimited potential more than a bit insane.

But thanks to a horrendous car accident he’s the victim of a traumatic brain injury that’s left Chris virtually a passenger in his own body. He remembers who he once was and the things – both good and bad – he has done, but he also just as clearly knows he isn’t that person any longer. The present day Chris must write things down in order to remember them, the days of a promising hockey career replaced with the daily drudgery of mopping floors in a bank and living with a blind man named Lewis (Jeff Daniels).

Things change with the arrival of former school acquaintance Gary Spargo (Matthew Goode). He doesn’t lie to Chris, doesn’t lead him on that things are going all right for the lad. But he also tells him that he can help Chris get at least a small semblance of his old life back, and all Gary needs to make this happen is a small favor. You see, he and his band of thuggish friends are going to rob the young man’s place of employment, and to make sure their heist is a success they’re going to need to angry kid trying to grapple with who he is versus who he once was to be their lookout.

Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Scott Frank (Out of Sight) makes his directorial debut with The Lookout, a simply sensational crime noir crackling with electricity and intelligence. Better, this is a character-driven piece that takes its time to build its world carefully and with sinister seduction, Frank finally turning the screws on the audience only after we’re sure we know the place and the people both inside and out.

We don’t, of course, and like all great thrillers the filmmaker leaves his best tricks for the very last. There are some great twists and more than a couple of fantastic turns here, the director spinning a web of suspense so enthralling I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. As first films go, this one’s a corker, and those walking out of the theater saying they didn’t enjoy it better have their pulses checked because they just might be dead.

There is one problem, I hate to say, and it’s unfortunately a biggie. A major character disappears from the proceedings without so much as a wham, bam or a thank you ma’am. When this person drives away in a cab you’re positive they’re going to come back or, at the very least, the movie will acknowledge their absence. This doesn’t happen, however, and unfortunately this one misstep casts a shadow over the proceeding which refuses to dissipate.

No matter. This film is an incredible ride pretty much start to finish, and as annoying as this one thing is overall I found I couldn’t have cared less about it. Frank writes scripts pretty much beyond compare (check out Minority Report, Get Shorty and Dead Again for proof on that front) and this one is no exception. The dialogue crackles, the plot is an absorbing puzzle and the characters are complexly fascinating. It’s a sunning narrative, Frank the director balancing all the tangents with the skills of a seasoned professional.

As for the cast, they’re great across the board, Goode, Daniels and perky Isla Fisher all making strong impressions. But this is Gordon-Levitt’s show, make no doubt, and he is absolutely incredible. After daringly different turns in Mysterious Skin, Brick and now this it goes without saying the young man has come one heck of a long way from Third Rock from the Sun and 10 Things I Hate About You. Simply put, he’s stunning in this, and right away he galvanized my attention to the point where I didn’t want to look at anything else other than him.

Listen, the movie is great. Frank has crafted a thriller I’m going to be talking about for months, and if not for that one major problem I’d probably be calling one of the best things I’ve seen this year. But even with that error this is still one thriller you simply shouldn’t miss, The Lookout one of those superb pieces of entertainment well worth keeping an eye out for.

Film Rating: êêê  (out of 4)