Before we continue with the next portion of our interview with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, just another courtesy reminder that the following may contain spoilers. You’ve been warned.
Joe in the film is, quite simply, a very interesting character. Much of this comes down to the fact he’s not very likable; a morally ambiguous character.
“There really aren’t good guys and bad guys in the movie. I like that,” said Gordon-Levitt. “In real life, there aren’t good guys and bad guys. Even though it can be fun to root for the heroes and villains in a movie, in real life, I don’t think anyone is black or white. Everyone is some kind of shade of grey. I think it’s particularly intriguing to cast Bruce [as that character] since we’re used to seeing him as a hero. Everyone thinks they’re doing the right thing. I love that. I think that’s how human beings really are.”
Looper is loaded with powerful female characters to balance out Willis and Gordon-Levitt, and they’re there for a reason. Said Gordon-Levitt of these characters’ importance to the narrative, “The two main guys in the movie are being selfish. The only example of a character not acting out of selfishness is Emily Blunt’s character, Sara.”
“Even though Older Joe, Bruce’s character, is trying to protect his wife, I think he’s doing it out of selfishness. He’s trying to protect what’s his,” he added. “Young Joe, same thing. He’s trying to protect what’s his. Sara’s the only one who’ll put herself in front of a gun to protect herself, even though Cid [Sara’s son] is kind of thankless, even though her job is kind of thankless. He won’t even call her mom. She still loves him. She still cares for him and wants him to grow up good. That to me is the heart of the story. It’s actually with Emily’s character. That’s the part that always makes me cry. It’s her bit at the end. It’s a real testament to Rian that he didn’t just write a couple of pretty girls. They’re actually characters that are fundamental to the story.”
Regarding the final realizations of Joe, Gordon-Levitt agreed that the catalyst for this change really came from the energy Sara (Emily Blunt) and Cid brought.
“I think that’s well put. [Young Joe] finding a connection with other people that he really didn’t have before rather than just looking out for himself. He does something selfless at the end. That’s the endless cycle that the movie’s describing. If everyone just looks out for themselves, you get a perpetual loop of everyone pointing fingers, everyone blaming each other, everyone killing each other. It takes an act of selflessness to break that [cycle].”
It’s clear Gordon-Levitt had a real personal connection to, not just his character, but the overall experience that is Looper. As a producer on the film, good friend of the director, and his truly invested and powerful performance, there is a lot to love about both the film and his portrayal thanks to Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Check back soon for our interview with director Rian Johnson!
Looper is now playing in theaters!
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