Look Both Ways (2005)
Average Rating: 6.5/10
Reviews Counted: 57
Fresh: 43 | Rotten: 14
With animated sequences adding imaginative quirkiness to the mix, this movie about death and disaster is insightful, empathic, and more uplifting than one would think.
Average Rating: 6.6/10
Critic Reviews: 23
Fresh: 18 | Rotten: 5
With animated sequences adding imaginative quirkiness to the mix, this movie about death and disaster is insightful, empathic, and more uplifting than one would think.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 6,294
My Rating
Movie Info
Preoccupation with disasters and a growing sense of mortality threaten to derail the growing relationship between the witness of a train accident and the reporter sent to interview her in this daring drama from emerging Australian filmmaker Sarah Watt. As the weekend draws near, three troubled souls find themselves faced with pivotal, potentially life-changing events. Though the death of her father still looms heavily in her mind, Meryl (Justine Clark) is forced to cut short her bereavement in
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Cast
-
William McInnes
Nick -
Justine Clarke
Meryl Leigh -
Anthony Hayes
Andy -
Mary Kostakidis
SBS Newsreader -
Daniela Farinacci
Julia -
Rob Hoad
Rob -
Leon Teague
Director -
Andrew S. Gilbert
Phil -
Elena Carapetis
Maria -
Tamara Lees
Policewoman -
Andreas Sobik
Train Driver -
Lisa Flanagan
Anna -
Irena Dangov
Train Driver's Wife -
Jacquelyne Willcox
Current Affairs Reporte... -
Laura Peisley
Emily -
Alex Rafalowicz
Train Driver's Son -
Violet Gilbert
Phil's Toddler -
Jacqueline Cook
Miriam -
Oliver Gilbert
Jasmine 'Jas' -
Miranda Gilbert
Sophie -
Lucia Mastrantone
Cathy -
Isabella Reimer
Maddie -
Jordan Leovic
Oliver -
Edwin Hodgeman
Jim -
Maggie Dence
Joan -
Joshua Clarke
Boy In Wheelchair -
Sacha Horler
Linda -
Alirio Zavarce
Smoking Cricketer -
Craig Behenna
Cricket Captain -
Taimi Allan
Pregnant Mother -
Eliza Lovell
Scared Mother -
Carmel Johnson
Charge Nurse -
Rocky Feo
Father of Sick Child -
Philip Spruce
Actor -
James L. Edwards
Waiter -
Aaron March
Dinner Guest -
Annie Lindner
Dinner Guest -
Daniel Whyte
Dinner Guest -
Evan Branford
Teenager -
Joe Weber
Milk Bar Man -
-
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All Critics (61) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (45) | Rotten (14) | DVD (5)
While [director Sarah] Watt begins to offer an interesting study in paranoia, tinged with some good comic moments, her multi-stranded plot and last-minute recourse to romance ultimately lost the interest of this viewer.
Top CriticA black-humored screenplay, realistic performances, eye-catching artwork, and a few creative turns on some well-worn themes.
Filled with aloof and confused characters just treading water, and even if they are likable, it eventually becomes tiresome. It's like one big pity party.
How each person copes with trauma and renewal adds up to a tender tale rich in memorable performances.
The bottom line is that none of this goes anywhere beyond a droning funeral procession.
The film itself is beautifully done.
A remarkably dense and powerful picture of people's yearning and struggling. . . . about how 'things just happen'%u2014that's the sadness and beauty of life.
an impressive, intelligent and moving tragicomedy of manners - any way you look at it.
Not a feel-good flick, yet likely to strike a chord with those inclined to contemplate life as a pessimistic venture guided by the unpredictable vagaries of the fickle finger of fate.
Not a feel-good flick, yet likely to strike a chord with those inclined to contemplate life as a pessimistic venture guided by the unpredictable vagaries of the fickle finger of fate.
A multi-faceted, sparkling gem of a movie.
Most films about shell-shocked characters coming to grips with their own mortality are either excruciating or forcefully comical. Not so with this mini-masterpiece.
A dreamy but tough ensemble indie that delivers its existential angst with a straight-up Aussie drawl.
A thoroughly engaging, warm-hearted and frequently moving drama that marks Watt out as a talent to watch and deserves to find as big an audience as possible.
Lapses in judgement occasionally jar -- like the habit of playing middle of the road ballads over key scenes -- but the central romance is touching enough to lock us in while bringing out the moral of this story.
It has a cold, observer's touch that makes dealing with the death and disease a disdainful task.
It's the type of film in which a character sits next to his work acquaintance for a few moments, then asks, 'Do you believe in God?'
Although none of Watt's characters is granted the full attention of the film, they feel entirely real in their flaws, dreams and struggles with the grown-up world of pain, loss and isolation.
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I'll give "Look Both Ways" this much. It sure is different with occasional animated interludes but the shark in the pool is a little too obvious. Plus, I admire its willingness to tackle difficult subjects. Sadly, it never quite comes together as it goes from one extreme to another. And the movie also has an alarming lack of focus on characters who even when dealing with extremely important crises somehow also seem very self-involved at the same time, especially Meryl whose moroseness is inferred might originate more from her loneliness than anything else. Or maybe commuter trains in Australia have a very poor safety record, as there are many shots of people walking calmly along train tracks.