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Look Both Ways

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 24 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 5 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Drama | Foreign
Written by: Sarah Watt
Directed by: Sarah Watt
Release Date:
Theatrical: April 14, 2006
DVD: December 5, 2006
Running Time: 100 minutes, Color
Origin: Australia
Summary
RATING: PG-13 for some violent images, sexual content and thematic material
Starring Justine Clarke, William McInnes, Anthony Hayes, Lisa Flanagan, Andrew S. Gilbert, Daniella Farinacci, Maggie Dence, and Edwin Hodgeman
Mixing animation and live action, Look Both Ways follows the misadventures of Meryl (Clarke), a woman who sees disaster everywhere. One day Meryl is witness to a real accident that connects her to the lives of others affected by the tragedy, among them Nick (McInnes), a photographer emotionally inhibited by his own fears. As Meryl and Nick tentatively attempt to connect, their story is shot through with humor, whimsical insight and compassion. (Kino International)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database View The Trailer Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
It is poetic and unforgiving, romantic and stark. Death is the subject we edge around.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
Ineffably Australian and intriguingly (rather than annoyingly) artsy, Look Both Ways introduces a handful of people gobsmacked by life-changing crises, all of them trying to make sense of responsibility, mortality, and connection.
Read Full Review >Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy
If Look Both Ways has a familiar form, this sort of emphasis on humanity, with which the film refreshingly pulses, is rare.
Read Full Review >The Hollywood Reporter Erin Free
The best Australian film to hit local screens in more than a year. Although lacking any internationally renowned actors to win more than limited release, the film's energy and stylistic daring mark it as a true original.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan
A fearless movie about a fearful subject, an unusually empathetic and quite funny film that deals with death and dying in the most offbeat and casually life-affirming way. Exceptionally smart, playful and perceptive, Look Both Ways confronts things that people would rather avoid.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Ann Hornaday
Though Watt's emphasis on coincidence and fate seems strained at times, Look Both Ways is rich in dreamy summer atmosphere and deadpan wit.
Read Full Review >Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker
It's a tricky tonal dance that Watt, minor missteps aside, glides through with feeling.
Read Full Review >Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea
There's something optimistic in the filmmaker's clear-eyed, straightforward storytelling style.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Ken Fox
The morbid theme notwithstanding, this is by no means a downbeat film, and it ends with the rather hopeful thought that for every disaster there's also a chance for survival.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Jessica Reaves
Watt's direction is stylish, and her choices feel sure-handed.
Read Full Review >Variety Richard Kuipers
An imaginative, humorous and truthful contemplation of human reaction to the inexplicable.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Michael Atkinson
An unassuming, unadventurous, but likable dramedy about dying and grief.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer
The best parts of the movie are its occasional animated sequences.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Jami Bernard
Best of all is newcomer Justine Clarke playing a dour illustrator. Clarke's fascinating features register emotions at war, but always governed by a sense of self-deprecating humor.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Janice Page
The debut live-action feature of Australian animator Sarah Watt has several other things to recommend it as well, including a black-humored screenplay, realistic performances, eye-catching artwork, and a few creative turns on some well-worn themes.
Read Full Review >Empire Simon Crook
A dreamy but tough ensemble indie that delivers its existential angst with a straight-up Aussie drawl.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader J.R. Jones
Watt's script is a bit overstuffed, and by the end the roiling animated sequences (drawn by Emma Kelly and inked by Watt and Clare Callinan) are wearing out their welcome. But the convincing characters and hearty examination of mortality make this fresh and oddly uplifting.
Read Full Review >New York Magazine David Edelstein
Even when it spreads itself too thin, Look Both Ways enlarges your perception of the here-and-now--and what movies can do to transcend it.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Noel Murray
After the first hour, it's clear the movie isn't going to offer any surprising new insights into messed-up modernity.
Read Full Review >LA Weekly Mark Olsen
Watt seems to want to say something about the role of fate and happenstance in creating connections between people, but she never quite brings the strands of her ideas together.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Brian Clark
This sincere but ultimately empty indie film plays like Australia’s answer to ensemble pieces like "Magnolia" and "Short Cuts."
Read Full Review >The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis
Bogged down by the stylistic gimmickry of bustling montages and jarring animated segments, Look Both Ways aims for existential drama but succeeds only in reminding us that misery loves company.
Read Full Review >New York Post Lou Lumenick
Works its way to an improbably cheerful ending, but getting there is a slow trip.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Chronicle G. Allen Johnson
An endearingly quirky independent film from Australia, with very likable characters and an intriguing premise.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 6.6 (out of 10) based on 5 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Sharon gave it a10:
I'm an Aussie and I watched this at the movies 5 times!! So I guess that means it's one of my favorite films ever...I love it's humanity!
Brutus gave it a9:
Charming quirky movie about death and what comes before it. Has considerably more heart and soul than what is typically found in the cinema these days. Lackadaisical episodic pacing (and all the better for it) and self-effacing stars lend an air of real life drama to this, but it is basically a gentle comedy about some rather serious themes. There are some unusual animation sequences, which are mostly humorous, and lots of sly observations about relationships and modern life. No car chases, no guns, no explosions. Generally seen as one of the best Australian movies in years.
Jemma W. gave it a9:
I thought this movie was great, i seen it whilst on holiday in NZ. Very moving. would avoid if feeling extremely depressed mind. but worth a look.
