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Mr. Beaks Gets An Early Look At Rian Johnson's LOOPER!
Rian Johnson's LOOPER is a time travel film set some thirty years in the future before time travel has been invented. The title refers to hit men who've been contracted by gangsters thirty years off in the more distant future - where time travel, while banned, exists - to dispose of people where no one would possibly know to look for them. Basically, the loopers hang out in an inconspicuous location (a back alley, a field out in the country), wait for their bound-and-hooded quarry, and blast them with a blunderbuss the second they materialize. It's a split-second execution, after which the loopers retrieve silver taped to the back of their victims. This is their compensation. If the victim arrives strapped with gold bars, that means the looper has just offed his future self. This is the closing of the loop. Retirement. Commence thirty years of partying until their dying day.
But what happens if there's a moment's hesitation, and the looper somehow senses he's about to end his own life thirty years hence? Or, in the case of Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), what happens if his older self (Bruce Willis) turns up with a plan to thwart his execution so he can run off and rummage through his past for personal reasons, thus jeopardizing young Joe's hard-earned retirement?
This is the clever central conflict of LOOPER: two versions of the same man - separated by thirty years - at odds with himself over his future. It's a rather heady quandary, but it's examined in the mainstream-skewing framework of a crackerjack sci-fi/action flick that recalls the genre-blending daring of the '70s and '80s. And it's not just a time travel movie. Just when LOOPER seems to be settling into one type of film, it veers off in another direction, then settles down again, then goes absolutely bonkers without sacrificing clarity of story or theme. This is masterful filmmaking - a stirring reminder that genre entertainment can be both smart and accessible.
The future world presented in LOOPER is dystopian, but this is only a problem for the have-nots. The loopers have, and they while away their non-killing hours hitting clubs, getting fucked up, and stashing away as much of their blood money as possible without running afoul of the Gat Men. Clad in black, armed to the teeth, and overseen by a mysterious man from the future (a wonderfully casual Jeff Daniels), the Gat Men police the loopers. They're the elite squad that gets called in when a looper neglects to murder his future self - and they are brutally efficient at using the younger looper to bring in the fugitive elder.
Joe doesn't seem the type to make this kind of mistake. He zips around in a vintage sports car, carries on with a hot-to-trot showgirl (Piper Perabo), and maintains an amicable relationship with the head of the looper program. But when one of Joe's twitchier colleagues (Paul Dano) shows up at his doorstep seeking shelter after failing to close his loop, he succumbs to a weakness of loyalty and hides the doomed bastard. This draws the heat of the Gat Men (including the hapless-but-dogged Kid Blue, played with hilariously psychotic zeal by Noah Segan), which plants the seed of doubt and knocks Joe off the easy-retirement path. There's decency lurking in this killer, the kind a good woman can tease out under the right circumstances.
But this is no straightforward tale of redemption; once Johnson's established his world, he hurls nothing but wicked curveballs until the final scene. The plot described above encompasses only the first third of the film; the minute Willis shows up as old Joe, everything is knocked off kilter, resulting in multiple track-downs of very different targets. Ultimately, young Joe is forced to seek sanctuary in a remote farmhouse owned by Sara (Emily Blunt), who's fiercely protective of her precocious son Cid, while waiting for the Gat Men - or perhaps the vengeful older Joe - to turn up.
And this is where it sucks to be reviewing a film ten months out from release, because I'd love nothing more than to dig into the mindblowing complications that ensue. Without giving too much away, Johnson strays into another subgenre - one of my favorites - and nails it emphatically. And it's a completely organic shift, one that requires an emotionally conflicted performance from Blunt. She's sensational in this movie, balancing shoot-first survival instincts, maternal depression and long-suppressed desire.
Surface-wise, the most shocking element of LOOPER might be the bold physiognomical transformation of Levitt. Via the magic of carefully-applied makeup, he's altered his appearance - with a notable flattening of the nose - to more closely resemble Willis. It's startling, but not distracting. And since Levitt has gone this extra mile, Willis sort of meets him in the middle by acquiring some of his performance tics (there's a great slow-motion scene where Willis approaches a woman with Levitt's convivial bearing). But Willis also recalls his sad, broken-down character from 12 MONKEYS; his Joe is a man who gave up a great deal, got right with the universe, and isn't terribly happy with what he received in the bargain. And Levitt's young Joe is a character in transition, struggling to take stock of the man he might become while unavoidably living in the moment.
LOOPER is an intricately structured story enlivened by Johnson's trademark wit and wounded romanticism. It's an invigorating, thrilling, ceaselessly inventive film, a miracle in an era of by-committee studio filmmaking. And while it's still months from being finished, barring any postproduction monkey business, it's already a great movie. I can't wait to discuss it in greater detail.
Faithfully submitted,
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Sounds really cool.
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I met Rian a couple years ago when he was premiering The Brothers Bloom and can confirm he's the real deal. Been absolutely drooling for news of a trailer for this so I'm glad to see the test screening went well and things are moving along.
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Major disappointment. Most overrated film I ever saw.
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Nov 09, 2011 1:47:54 PM CST
Only confusing for morons who call a film garbage without even seeing it.
by alan_poon
Levitt and Willis sound like a good match to me and I loved Brick.
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i think you're constipated...in your fucking soul.
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When I first heard of time travel hitman, I thought you hire someone to kill that person's past self so they won't be a problem in the future.
The idea that you actually LOCATE, then bag a person for a quick execution and then ship them off, seems like a lotta' damn work.
Here's an idea - FIRE THEM OFF INTO THE VASTLY FAR FUTURE! It won't cost you a damned dime. -
I would watch a movie about a dude taking a dump if it were written and directed by Johnson.
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...if you don't look at your target, Bruce.
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Nov 09, 2011 1:59:08 PM CST
Well, I guess Beaks has hit his "One Post a Month" quota.
by moviegeek123
How does he earn a living on one post?
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A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So, I tell them I'm a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama.
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Nov 09, 2011 2:17:45 PM CST
When Willis decides to actually act (just rewatched Pulp on Blu and forgot
by openthepodbaydoorshal
what a natural performer he can be, The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, etc.), the result can be very good.
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He was all kinds of awesome in RED, like the old Bladerunner magic he showed that there really is only one man we want to see with wisecracks and a semi-auto.
Unfortunately we also got Cop Out and Surrogates, which sucked like nothing has ever sucked before, aside, perhaps, for Hudson Hawk...
So, a sci-fi story, action all the way?
Inception-stylie, Philip K Dick mind bending?
Hope-frakking-so!
That said, I was banking on the same from RepoMen last year and look how that turned out! -
Nov 09, 2011 2:32:05 PM CST
Yea - didn't care for Brick at all, but really enjoyed
by openthepodbaydoorshal
Bloom, so he's one and one in my book.
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Bruno was the BOMB in that, yo!
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Hell, I'd off my future-self if it meant seeing this film early...
That said, Rian... in the unlikely event you're reading any of these talkbacks... please consider curating another week of double features at the New Beverly, just like you did with BROTHERS BLOOM. -
I've seen it 3 times. I liked The Brothers Bloom a lot. I loved the first 2/3 of it. This sounds extremely interesting and I will be there.
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I didn't care for Brothers Bloom at all
Looking forward to this one though... -
Nov 09, 2011 3:39:40 PM CST
Loved Brick, did not like Bloom (despite really wanting to), this...
by rebel scumb
just sounds convoluted and contrived. As someone pointed out, why would you send the people back in time to be killed? If its about hiding bodies, why not kill them in the future and then send them back???
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It made about as much sense as that movie with children as gangsters shooting marshmallow machine guns. Just stupid.
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If you dont get 10 year olds dressed as gangster, driving pedal-powered old timee cars, and shooting Tommy guns full of custard, then you're soul is truly dead, smokingrobot. :(
"Fat Sams, grand slam, Speak Easy!"
PS. Brick rocked, JGL rocks, and I have high hopes for the rockageness of this. -
Rewatch it when you hit puberty. Totally different film.
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The Fairy-fucking-Godmother ... wait.
Bruce is a great, flawed, movie star. I am thrilled he's got a great film in the can, he's more deserving than most :-) -
they dont kill them first in order to absolve themselves from being involved in their death. and they send them back because its a cool twist on the time travel genre...and their gangsters, they're not terribly bright people.
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Would have worked without any makeup.
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I'm serious, Brick is brilliant as hell, great writing, direction and everything, a true indie cult classic that shows potential.
If this can become a major success, I feel he has a Christopher Nolan type career ahead. -
Nov 09, 2011 5:40:41 PM CST
And Willis back in 12 Monkeys mode suggests this is a movie he actually gives a shit about for once, which means we should too.
by melonman
Johnson is an inventive director who has the potential to really rise up a level.
Levitt's going from strength to strength.
This looks great.
Now if we can just get Shane Carruth back behind the camera again… -
Are easily two of the best films in the past years. Brick tops my best of movies of all time, I've seen it over 10 times at least, and the nuances of the performances are impeccable. I can't WAIT for this.
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Goddamn, this film sounds like it could be great! Exactly the kind of hard-edged science fiction story I hope for, but almost never see in theaters.
And Emily Blunt's in it to boot?
(Smile)
I'm so there. -
Nov 09, 2011 6:43:26 PM CST
I heard Shane Carruth did some of the VFX for this movie
by quicksilver80
Primer was brilliant, whatever happened to his follow up "A Topiary"? The plot description for that project was totally bonkers.
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Is it a full vision future like Blade Runner or Minority Report, or is it more an In Time/Payback pseudo-future where the concept is really the only futuristic element of the story?
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Whatever, you know what I mean guys.
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Nov 09, 2011 7:43:19 PM CST
JGL ages into Bruce? I already don't buy it
by has_snyder_been_fired_from_superman_yet
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Nov 09, 2011 7:44:22 PM CST
I read and re-read the description of this movie and I'm still totally confused! Ergo -- WHAT?!?
by mrmysteryguest
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Nov 09, 2011 7:49:41 PM CST
There used to be a sub shop near here called Looper's
by has_snyder_been_fired_from_superman_yet
Dude named it after his dog. Then the dog died and they hung his picture on the wall in memorium. Then the dude died and his son took over and moved the location into a strip mall across the street, then ran the place into the ground and went out of business so the place itself died. Now there's an empty, decaying building with an old "Looper's" sign on it and a Korean-owned nail shop in the strip mall across the street and I have to go to Jersey Mike's, which is way further from my office. So I guess it'd be cool if a Looper sub would materialize in my office once a week for 30 years
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Was at the screening last night as well.
Audience reaction came off well, though laughing at unfinished VFX is lame.
Needs to be tightened up, but the meat of the story is up there. Nice to see Rian Johnson took a higher budgeted movie with VFX with confidence. Its obvious that he used BLADE RUNNER as a template for his future; not copying it but the idea of retro things being new again.
Made it to the after panel. Most people seemed to "get it" with not a great deal of confusion. Little worried about them talking about JGL and Willis as "good guy & bad guy" but I've heard worse from these type of panels.
And is it just me or this movie is nearly ready to go, VFX wise? I could see this as a late spring release before AVENGERS or, barring that, mid-August.
Sorry I missed you again, Mr. Beaks. -
It sounds so good. And I'm still confused by it as well. Anyone know where I can find the script?
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Nov 09, 2011 10:29:57 PM CST
impossible dreamers - I agree, this Looper business makes no sense
by lv_426
Sending them into the far future could be much more interesting and actually makes sense.
Or how about a one way ticket to a parallel universe? That would also make sense, but not going to the trouble to tie someone up and send them back in time just so some schmuck can shoot them. Way more complicated than would be worthwhile. Why not just fire said unwanted person into the Sun instead? Or use some grey goo nanotech to just eat up all traces of the murder victim. Also, why would a so called looper assassin agree to this whole thing knowing that one day they might end up killing their future self? And then there is some elaborate enforcement agency that polices the loopers? Why? Isn't the whole point supposed to be that a single guy or gal in the past would kill the person sent back as an easy way to get rid of said undesirable person? But then you bring some policing agency into the mix, and isn't it all just a big mess of overcomplication?
And in this slick future world of only about 60 years from now, the mafia has access to time machines? I just don't buy that idea.
This sounds like another Surrogates. A clever idea that has somehow managed to tie its own shoe laces together. -
Nov 09, 2011 10:39:08 PM CST
Looper sounds a lot like that spec script about a young clone hunting his older self
by lv_426
Gemini Man was the name of that script that was supposedly a hot spec floating around about five to ten years ago. I believe they were talking about having Clint Eastwood play the older version of an assassin that goes rogue or something, and the agency he works for clones a younger version of him to hunt down him down. I think there was talk about using CGI to de-age Clint for the younger version.
christopher3's comment reminded me of that one. I could buy Hugh Jackman playing the younger version of Eastwood in a film like that. -
This sounds amazing, and the Nolan comparison was dead-on. Rian Johnson's a genius, anyone who disagrees should go to vimeo and watch his video for The Mountain Goats song 'Woke Up New'. It's low budget and incredible. This could be next years inception, by which i mean a smart, original yet commercial Hollywood studio film. We kinda... need more of those.
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Nov 10, 2011 6:53:34 AM CST
Why don't the Gat Men carry out the executions? They can eliminate the midde "looper" man.
by moore12
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The story of a young man who jumps ship in Hong Kong and makes his way to Tibet...
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Nov 10, 2011 9:58:09 AM CST
LV, dead on the money. The concept is over-thought but not thought through
by impossibledreamers
I feel like someone had the idea for a time-travel hit man, but then tried to cover all possible complications by adding more and more restrictions or angles.
When you come up with an elaborate deal like this, you have to think not only the how's but the whys or the why nots.
But, you're right - why consider the possiblity of whacking your future self?
Are the assassins working for criminals? So why would there be Gat Men? It sounds like there's little effort in the future to hide criminal murder. So, why send people anywhere in time at all? Especially if you can actually lay hands on them and cap'em the old fashioned way.
Making someone disappear at the point they begin to cause trouble makes more sense to me. Say some guys skimming your profits. You send back a message to your hitter to whack this guy about the time he starts stealing from you. -
Nov 10, 2011 10:58:56 AM CST
If this movie gives Shane Carruth some dough it'll be worth it
by melonman
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Nov 10, 2011 12:11:15 PM CST
How dare they film this with Gilda Radner gone for years..
by openthepodbaydoorshal
..oh wait..that's LOOPNER...
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Uh... what? In order to hide the dead bodies of people they want assassinated, gangsters send the living victims 30 years into the past to get executed. When the victim goes missing in the 'present', nobody will be able to find the body, because it's been buried somewhere 30 years in the past?
Um... anyone else see flaws in this cunning plan? Like... multiple fucking bodies buried everywhere, because one day, '30 years ago' will be 'today'? You can't hide dead bodies in the past, you just... bury the fucking things for longer and increase the chances that someone will stumble upon them and notify the authorities.
And what about the dead bodies from 30 years ago that are discovered **before** the victims are kidnapped and hurled into the past in the first place? Won't they get a heads-up that they're going to get murdered at some point with the aid of time-travel technology and up their security, etc.? -
Which is why LV and I think they need to dump bodies into the future.
You think they thought up this idea while hittin' the bong? -
Nov 10, 2011 4:03:10 PM CST
impossibledreamers, how about a movie where the time machine is a bong?
by lv_426
A trio of stoners take a few to many hits from a magical bong that sends them back in time.
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breaking bad and learned how to dissolve a body in acid.
also, bruce is typical white. jgl almost looks kinda chinese. wah?! -
Completely agree. He's been my choice to take Batman over after Nolan since Brick. Brother's Bloom only convinced me more.
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Nov 10, 2011 7:34:40 PM CST
jamf, I was thinking of the Breaking Bad dissolve a dead body in acid method
by lv_426
I figured a cool futuristic sci-fi twist on that method of disposing of a body would be to use some nanobots to eat up the body.
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Nov 10, 2011 7:38:08 PM CST
I really like the notion of throwing bodies into a parallel universe, which if you think about it, could also be in another time relative to our present day, or the present day reality of the future in some movie
by lv_426
The poor people in the parallel universe that the bodies are being dumped in might be walking down the street minding their own business, and then suddenly they see a flash in the sky, and a bunch of dead bodies start raining down and smashing into the ground.
Then the police show up and none of these dead bodies from the sky can be identified, because they aren't from this universe, and they never existed in this particular universe either. -
Nov 10, 2011 8:59:03 PM CST
How about a Verhoeven-like sci-fi satire where people from the future send their waste (garbage, poop, etc.) back in time and dump it on people from the past
by lv_426
Poop Loop it shall be called.
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joking
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Nov 11, 2011 8:59:31 PM CST
Brick and Bloom are among the best films of the last decade
by jacksparasites
Suffice it to say, I'll see any Rian Johnson film.
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Wasn't as huge a fan of Bloom myself, but it certainly wasn't bad or anything. I think I just over hyper it to myself and it ended up being a bit of a disappointment. But Brick buys my ticket to any Rian Johnson movie for pretty much the rest of his career. Brilliant flick
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Don't forget 12 Monkeys. He did a fine job in that movie as well.
Hey... that's a Time travel movie where he meets himself 30 some odd years apart.... interesting
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Beaks you lucky son of a bitch! I skimmed the article because I want to avoid knowing too much about the film, so sorry if this is addressed in the article itself, but how is it you scored a look at the film almost a year in advance?!
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Congrats on making Breaking Dawn such a big hit this weekend. You must be so proud.
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Jan 12, 2012 8:29:11 AM CST
Brick is a brilliant film, I've been trying to forget this movie exists for fear of getting over stimulated
by alan_grant_lives
or expecting too much in the run up.
But Brick and Brothers Bloom are fantastic films.
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