Suffering from crippling lapses in both memory and impulse control, the vulnerable Chris leaves behind his blind roommate (Jeff Daniels) and soon finds himself knee-deep in a plot that could potentially offer him an escape from his hardships. But instead, Pratt’s involvement leads him on a downward spiral into a world of gangsters and shootouts with the cops.

The writer-director is Scott Frank: as one of Hollywood’s best-known and most sought-after screenwriters (his writing credits include the notable adaptations Get Shorty, Out of Sight, Minority Report and Get Shorty), Lookout marks Frank's directorial debut, and his plot twists remain balanced and the dialogue is wry, creating not just a suspenseful crime-heist picture, but a compelling story about flawed people.

Working with cinematographer Alar Kivilo (A Simple Plan, The Ice Harvest), writer-director Frank creates a bleak small-town world for his characters, an effective homage to the kind of small-scale thrillers we never forget. The story takes place in and around Kansas City, but was actually filmed in Winnipeg.