Look

Or, better yet, don't. In the opening sequence of Adam Rifkin's high-concept dramatic satire about base human behavior, a pair of high school girls slip into a department store changing room, strip off their clothes, and shake their thong-clad booties. The rest of the film maintains that level of dignity as it “reveals” the kind of unguarded behavior people supposedly engage in when they think they're not being watched. So we see an insatiably horny department store manager have sex with practically every young female member of the staff in the storeroom, a teacher give in to the relentless seduction of an underage student, a cop murdered in front of our eyes, bystanders being robbed and kidnapped, and a child snatched from a mall by a predator—all viewed via the unblinking eye of the ever-present technology of modern life, from surveillance cameras in department stores, parking lots, and ATMs to traffic cams, police car cameras, and nanny monitors. An unpleasant drama, Look adopts a cynical view without offering any insight beyond the contention that human beings are weak, mean, nasty, cruel, bullying, vindictive, deceitful, and shallow—kind of like the film itself, which is mostly played for cheap titillation and glib humor. Not recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by writer/director Adam Rifkin and others, a behind-the scenes featurette (30 min.), alternate/deleted scenes (48 min.), outtakes featuring the director (14 min.), a TV spot, and a trailer. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a satirical misfire.] (S. Axmaker)