Movie Review
Review: Logan Lucky
A Strong Script, Solid Cast & Great Director Make for an Entertaining Indie Heist Film
Logan Lucky is a film by Bleecker Street and directed by Steven Soderbergh, who came out of retirement to direct this movie. It stars Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Seth MacFarlane, Riley Keough, Katie Holmes, Katherine Waterston, Dwight Yoakam, Sebastian Stan, Hillary Swank, and Daniel Craig; yeah it’s loaded with talent.
West Virginia family man Jimmy Logan teams up with his one-armed brother Clyde and sister Mellie to steal money from the Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina. Jimmy also recruits demolition expert Joe Bang to help them break into the track’s underground system. Complications arise when a mix-up forces the crew to pull off the heist during a popular NASCAR race while also trying to dodge a relentless FBI agent.
The Good
Logan Lucky features some real talent, and they do not disappoint in this movie. Adam Driver and Channing Tatum play brothers, Jimmy and Clyde Logan. Jimmy is a recently unemployed father who needs to find a way to move closer to his daughter. His brother Clyde, played by Adam Driver, a veteran who lost part of his arm in a tour in Iraq, tends the local bar. Their chemistry has to be right, and it has to be believable because it is the relationship that is at the core of the movie — and they nailed it. Tatum and Driver’s timing is perfect, and the way they interact with each other throughout the film sells their relationship. At one point during the heist, we get a deeper look into their relationship, peeling back layers to get to past revelations and actions that have lead our characters to their present situations. The emotions on their faces drive home the deepness of their bond as brothers, and it sold me.
Daniel Craig’s character Joe Bang was a great balance to the brother’s storyline. As an incarcerated felon, Bang is equal parts genius safe-cracker and comedic relief. His lines in Logan Lucky received the most laughs, and his explosive ‘cocktail’ scene was hilarious. Another great standout from the supporting cast was Riley Keough. She plays the Logan’s younger sister; a hair dresser by day, getaway driver by night, Keough’s character Mellie has some great lines that are funny, and her character rounded out this cast. It’s a shame in some ways that Millie is more of a support role in this movie; I really could have used more of her in Logan Lucky because she was great.
Logan Lucky also offers a good story that is for the most, very engaging. Once the plot kicks into gear, Logan Lucky comes together in a big way. It’s enjoyable to see how each member of the crew functions/reacts and works with each other. At its core, this is a heist film, and any good heist movie, from Ocean’s 11 to The Italian Job, has a great twist; something about the caper that the viewer doesn’t see but is later explained and ties the whole crime together. The twist here is spot-on, satisfying and mostly believable — a very entertaining piece.
The Bad
This movie is soooooo sllllooooowww in the beginning. To say that the first act of Logan Lucky is a slow burn might be the understatement of the year. The first third of this movie plods along as the story is set and the character motivations are determined. As I mentioned earlier, once the story gets moving in the second act it is an enjoyable movie; but getting there can be rough at times.
At the end of the synopsis for Logan Lucky, it states, “…while also trying to dodge a relentless FBI agent.” That’s almost as substantive as the actual FBI storyline in Logan Lucky. It was a 15-minute storyline that felt hurried and tacked on to me. I would have preferred if they made that slow beginner shorter and then gave a little more time to this plot, because it was interesting but was ultimately over too quickly.
The Verdict
Here’s the deal; Logan Lucky is a terrific indie heist movie with a legend in the director’s chair, a strong cast and a solid story. Adam Driver and Channing Tatum are great together, and the supporting cast around them is fantastic. The twist in the film is fun and doesn’t ask you to suspend reality too much, and some genuinely funny moments are balanced by real emotional scenes that give our characters a sense of realness and gravity. I’m going to recommend that people see this, it has a little bit of everything, and I think most audiences will like it with one caveat; you have to be able to sit through the introductions and setup of the first act. At points, it can be incredibly slow. In my opinion, it is worth sitting through, because the payoff in the second and third act is worth it.
That’s how I’m calling this one, but I’d like to know what do you guys think? Did you see Logan Lucky? Am I spot on, or out of my mind? Let me know in the comments below. Also be sure to follow me on Twitter @TheWeeklyMovie and on Facebook @TheWeeklyMovies. As always thanks for reading, and I’ll see you at the movies.
