Looper is a Winner

Rating: 9/10 (28 September 2012)

I think that I am going to start out by saying that it is very difficult to surprise me at a film. They are usually very predictable. I have to say that this film got me (which I love). Director/Writer Rian Johnson did a very good job explaining what a Looper was right from the beginning. Just when I was asking myself "what if" questions in my head, they were being answered right there before me. If you go to this film expecting a lot of futuristic special effects, there aren't many, but the storyline did not suffer because of it. Although this film pretty much centers around regret and redemption, there are splashes of sacrifice and lost love. As expected there was a lot of retro-vision (my made up word), but they were very well placed. The transformation of Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) into his older self (Bruce Willis) was expertly demonstrated. I think that the casting of these two look-alike actors was brilliant. Abe (Jeff Daniels) was the futuristic mob boss and the controlling force behind the loopers. As seen in the trailer, Joe fails to eliminate his older self and the cat and mouse game begins. Abe is relentless in his pursuit of both versions of Joe. Sara (Emily Blunt) is a single mom just trying to survive and raise her son in a very hostile world. I would be remiss if I did not mention Cid (Pierce Gagnon). You find yourself really falling for this kid, even though there are many things transpiring with him. You really don't know the significance of Beatrix (Tracie Thoms), who is a waitress in a local diner, until the end of the film. This mind-bending science fiction film has the viewer wondering about all the possibilities that could have developed in the film. I think that I would put this film in the mystery category as well. Just when you think that you have it all figured out, you don't. Although at times this film did have a terminator feel to it, I was blown away by the end of the film. There were a lot of times that I said to myself, "I didn't see that coming". Even without stunning special effects, this film is definitely worth the price of a ticket. You will not regret it. I recommend that you close the loop and go and see this film. I give it a glaring green light.