Look Both Ways (2006)

Death humbles us all. LOOK BOTH WAYS is an uncompromising look at death. (Ignore the cover art: it suggests a comedy, which this movie most definitely is not.) The news, received just a few years ago, that my wife has cancer, was the kind of news that undoes hinges. Still reeling from the blow, I was advised that my mother had lung cancer (she left this world in April). My own mortality was already a given (a collapse and a heart attack and quintuple bypass heart surgery had left me with the sneaking suspicion that I may not be long for this world). All of this was difficult to deal with (to say the very least). LOOK BOTH WAYS was, in its own way, very therapeutic. I felt much better, afterward, having seen it. If you're one of those of us who have had to come face to pale white face with the harshest of realities, I recommend you sit down and watch LOOK BOTH WAYS.

In a small Australian city, there is some heartbreak going on. For one, a man has been killed by a train as he tried to save his dog along the tracks. Also, a newspaper photographer has been told he has cancer and he is terrified by his prospects, knowing his father also died from the disease. Nearby, a young artist has an active imagination and often daydreams about becoming a victim to disaster. Elsewhere in the town, a lady has told her companion that she is pregnant, a father is helping celebrate his oldest daughter's birthday, and a train engineer is experiencing tremendous guilt from the fatal accident. How will everyone's story play out? This is one of those great films that connect the dots between people that live side by side, unknown one to another. The actors do a fine job in their respective roles, as each has a character beset with serious problems. The costumes, sets, script, and production are quite nice, too. Towering above everything else, however, is the direction and artwork. The film often breaks into animation without severing the flow of the movie, quite a feat, and the rapid montages that appear from time to time are stunning, to say the least. If you long for worthy films with important messages, intriguing stories and great visuals, you could hardly do better than this one. Look both ways in the video store until you spot this one and have it safely in your hands.

I had never heard of this movie, but watched in on the IFC film channel. Did not recognize any of the actors, but within the first 5 minutes I was hooked. Every day people, some of them getting various "shocking" news delivered to them....and how they deal with it and how their lives intersect. One of the main characters, a relatively young man, is told in the very beginning of the story that he has cancer....testicular and it's already spread to his lungs. You really feel for him, and relate to all the things he goes through (montage flashbacks of his life, thoughts about all the things he has done that could have caused the cancer, imaging it taking over his body, etc. There are various animated segments, but not too many to be distracting. All the characters seem very believable, and you want things to work out for them. Happily, for the most part they do. A real gem of an indie!

A shoot in our stomach. This movie is visceral, emotional and preserves a unique sense of humor...and also can make you feel very uncomfortable..a very human and touching story...believable. Most of all this a believable story... I watched this movie yesterday at the 30th International Movie Festival here in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and had a surprise to see such an interesting and touching Australian movie. By bonding creativity and humanity in a strong history it captivated me. The anguish is around and many lost souls try to find their way in life fighting all kinds of adversities. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Good actors too! They show us creativity in a in depth tragical and casual history. And the insertion of the girls thoughts in painting format inserted in the narrative was very clever. Great Movie!