Simply the best

Rating: 8/10 (21 August 2013)

This is not a science fiction movie with futuristic cities, super-advanced technologies or anything of the sort. If you are looking for anything close to, say, Star Trek, than this is not your movie. It is 2044 and people are still the same people as we know them today, the only thing different is that 30 years into the future, we have figured out how to time-travel and about ten percent of the population has mutated genes that give them telekinetic powers, although I don't see much use in levitating a quarter. Therefore the sci-fi element is never emphasized and always on the background. It is a part of the film as it is a part of the people's lives. It is common and treated that way.
With keeping the science fiction to a minimum, writer and director Rian Johnson uses all the space to set up a great story. No cheesy love story, no 'whatever happens, everything will be okay in the end', because the not-so-happy ending is what gives this film such a unique and fresh touch. I heard people complaining about the lack of action and that it was just all a lot of people talking. Action is not what this film needs to succeed, I say it's better off without it, and the dialogues are clever and never boring. Johnson again brings Steve Yedlin on board for cinematography, something absolutely worth mentioning. It is fresh, it fits the story and never feels out of place. Yedlin shows he has a wonderful style and I am anxious for Johnson and Yedlin's next collaboration.
The film's characters are well written though not too complex, and wonderfully cast. Each have motives of their own that give the film a little bit of a dark feeling. The film's tone overall is a bit dark, again something that makes this all work so well and I can really appreciate in today's happy-ending trend. Amazing Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays present Joe, a Looper. His facial transformation is never in the way and it feels good to see him leading the story. He remains his own self but puts in some Bruce Willis elements at the same time to make the whole time-travel circle complete. Bruce Willis as future Joe normally lets his guns do the work, but with the action at a low level he can finally show his other set of acting skills. It feels a bit awkward at times though to see him play so emotional, as if he has forgotten how to do certain things. Nevertheless, he is able to convince his audience. Emily Blunt also delivers as mother of young boy Cid, played by Pierce Gagnon. She puts up a more memorable role than I'm used to seeing her do. Even Jeff Daniels, future mobster sent back in time to run the whole Looper-business, although with relatively little screen time, gives us his best performance. But this kid Pierce Gagnon.. Man, was I surprised by his performance. He just blows me away. He shows the best child-performance I have seen in a long, LONG time. He reminds me of a younger Kodi Smit-McPhee doing The Road and I have no doubt that he will end up in McPhee's footsteps.
Looper is a film full of surprises. It is unique, contained yet vast and fresh. See it, let it all sink and you will love it.