R

The Lookalike is a new neo-noir that has just come out on DVD.  The casting is very interesting, it has three actors, known for their comedy and play straight dark characters.  They are Justin Long, Gillian Jacobs and Jerry O’Connell.  I didn’t know if I could take any of them seriously, but they all did a fine jobs.  We have veteran crime actors Gina Gershon, Luis Guzmán and Steven Bauer.  Normal good guy John Corbett also plays against type as one of the baddies.  Scottie Thompson also plays an important role in the film.  I’m not to familiar with her work, but look forward to seeing her in more movies. Felisha Terrell played a smaller role in this, but was a stand out in my opinion.

So a quick idea of what you are getting into without to much of a spoiler.  We have a bar owner/drug dealer that hires a lady to have sex with a business partner to help close a deal.  This business partner wants this particular lady because she is the daughter of an ex-partner.  Unfortunately this lady  accidentally dies before this can happen, so our drug dealer must find a lookalike to take her place.  This part of the story takes place in the first few minutes and we or off on our adventure.

We have drug dealers, cocaine addicts, loan sharks, strippers, informants, a cancer survivor and some shady cops, all with their own stories that all intertwine into one crazy ride.

This film takes place and is shot in New Orleans, a great location for a modern noir film, but it is not part of the story and simply a great looking back drop in this movie. This film is directed by Richard Gray and written by his wife Michele Davis-Gray, This is their 5th film together and their first crime film.  I can see them getting better as they go and hope they revisit the genre in the future.  This is a fun little film for noir fans looking for something new to rent and watch on a snowy winters night.