Looker

PG

Released Oct 30, 1981

1h 34m

Sci-Fi

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

List

32%

22 Reviews

Tomatometer

41%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Dr. Larry Roberts (Albert Finney) is a plastic surgeon to the stars, but when some of his supermodel clients start turning up dead under mysterious circumstances, Roberts decides to investigate, since murder is bad for business. Roberts quickly discovers that all clues lead to Digital Matrix, the ominous corporate entity that has contracted many of his clients. Digital Matrix CEO John Reston (James Coburn) is found to be employing new technology to evil ends for his ad agency.

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Jeff M

This was an irresistible viewing experience for me on multiple levels. I used to watch this religiously as a pre-teen in the 80s when it played on HBO 43 times a day. So on a personal level, it was a throwback to my childhood. And unlike other movies from my youth, this one actually holds up quite well. Of course, it's cheesy and dorky and all that fun stuff, but it's an undeniable guilty pleasure, particularly the synth-heavy score and the title song to which I surprisingly remembered a lot of the lyrics. Even more interestingly, if you can get past the antiquated effects and wardrobe, this is more relevant to today than I would have thought. This is a world of A.I. being used to not only to create cosmetic perfection but to conquer greedy commercialism. What could be more apropos for today's audience!??! And while Dey is not necessarily delivering Oscar-worthy material here, I've always been strangely drawn to her. I was happily surprised to be thoroughly entertained, and I won't wait another couple decades to watch it again.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/17/24

Full Review

Audience Member

While there are some interesting and still relevant issues about aesthetic mechanization at play, Crichton's screenplay and direction are ultimately only skin-deep.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

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Audience Member

For the Time this movie was Fantastic,,, I remember seeing this on the movie Channels circa late 80's.. I had to be 8 or 9 years old.. and this movie captivated me.. the Cool Looker Gun which fired a strobe of light with a trippy audio effect... I still can hear that sound effect.. Great Film,, and even has more of a message nowadays as Technology rules our lives. How this film scored so low is beyond me.. this also to talented actorys such as Albert Finney and James Coburn. Also this stunt alone is worth the watch.. toward teh beginning film one of the Female models who is spooked someone if after her.. falls from a balcony about 12 stories up.. she lands right on top of a car roof... the crash is in slo-mo and looks completely real.. if this was a stunt woman.. she earned her money on that scene.. Check this movie out..

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Although dated, a great movie with Albert Finney and Susan Dey. Ahead of its time for predicting the use of digital actors in place of real ones. Sure it doesn’t make much sense to kill off the original models, but its still a fun ride. A lost classic!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Classic 80's movie by the same writer and director of the movie West World. I saw this movies when i was a kid in 1981 and recently watched it again. It still has cool scenes and 80's soundtrack that worth watching this great film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Hollywood should have learned its lesson - actors & writers are not directors. If Crichton stayed in the writer's chair, a real director could have made a nice little thriller here. "Looker" had an interesting premise and style but immediately plunged into a meaningless waste of 2 hours. Susan Dey, matured from Laurie Partridge into a beautiful actress, served no purpose but to look nice. James Coburn was completely unnecessary, except for box office sales. And the "cat & mouse" detective Dorian Harewood vs. person of interest Albert Finney loses credibility after they reveal the killer early on. This was 1980, the year we entered the age of computers, video games & TV editing consoles. Crichton used these themes only to steer this movie into an outdated digital-video mess.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Michael Crichton

Director

Albert Finney

Dr. Larry Roberts

James Coburn

John Reston

Susan Dey

Cindy Fairmont

Leigh Taylor-Young

Jennifer Long

Dorian Harewood

Lieutenant Masters

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Variety Staff

Variety

A silly and unconvincing contempo sci-fi thriller.

Nov 5, 2008

Full Review

Tom Milne

Time Out

Tediously convoluted.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Vincent Canby

New York Times

The plot is pretty silly but Mr. Crichton's handling of it is even sillier, though it is bold.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 30, 2004

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

...Finney looks uncomfortable running around with an accessorised time-stopping gun and glasses combo...

Rated: 3/5

Feb 24, 2021

Full Review

Larry Vitacco

Philadelphia Gay News

Looker is the worst Michael Crichton concoction to date.

Rated: 1.5/4

May 26, 2020

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Bloody Disgusting

Overall the film's decor and attitude towards women strongly reminded me of a combination of the homoerotic volleyball scene in Top Gun, the casual nudity of Showgirls and a dash of Rhona Mitra's pink-AF bedroom from Hollow Man

May 5, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Dr. Larry Roberts (Albert Finney) is a plastic surgeon to the stars, but when some of his supermodel clients start turning up dead under mysterious circumstances, Roberts decides to investigate, since murder is bad for business. Roberts quickly discovers that all clues lead to Digital Matrix, the ominous corporate entity that has contracted many of his clients. Digital Matrix CEO John Reston (James Coburn) is found to be employing new technology to evil ends for his ad agency.

Director: Michael Crichton
Screenwriter: Michael Crichton
Production Co: The Ladd Company, Warner Bros.
Rating: PG
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 30, 1981, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 17, 2012
Runtime: 1h 34m
Sound Mix: Stereo, Surround

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