Logan Lucky - early review

[JasonEvans]

This is not one of those big-name movies that I usually write about for all of you. I typically start new threads for bigger name titles, but I just had to tell all of you what a good time I had watching Logan Lucky.

It is directed by Steven Soderbergh, who announced a few years ago that he would retire from feature filmmaking... then he saw this script and decided to unretire. Thank goodness he did because his deft touch is all over this film and it is such a perfect complement to his Ocean's 11/12/13 films. It is impossible to talk about Logan Lucky and not compare it to the Ocean's films. This is redneck Ocean's and the film even has a line where they refer to "Ocean's 7-11," which is just hysterical and quite fitting.

The movie tells the tale of down-on-his-luck Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum), who lives in rural West Virginia but works construction at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His brother, Clyde (Adam Driver) is a bartender who only has one hand because part of his arm was blown off in the Gulf War. For a variety of really good reasons they decide to rob the race track and enlist the help of explosion expert, Joe Bang (Daniel Craig). Of course, Joe is in prison so they have to bust him out first. And, of course, they need to do all of this in a way that does not force them all to go on the run from the law because Jimmy absolutely adores his little daughter and desperately wants to be close to her.

The film starts out sorta slow and takes a little bit to get going, but the payoff is really worth it. The caper is reasonably clever, though not nearly as intricate or exacting as the Ocean's films. I appreciated that fact and was glad the heist was a bit more realistic than some of the crazy stuff in the Ocean's movies. Of course, the real reason this movie works is some truly brilliant humor executed by fabulous actors. The movie does not go for slapstick nor does it paint the characters as clueless idiots (well, not all of them) who bungle their way into success. As a result, the humor is all well earned and often wonderfully set up. I was doubled over with laughter numerous times and some of the biggest laughs come from brief, offhand comments from Jimmy or Clyde, often muttered under their breath. You need to pay attention to everything everyone is saying, but the payoff really works if you do.



The acting is first rate. Driver and Tatum just slay throughout the entire film and Daniel Craig is also excellent. The supporting cast is quite good (Sebastian Stan, Riley Keough, Katie Holmes, Dwight Yoakam, and others) though there are a couple strange characters who don't really work. Seth MacFarlane plays an over-the-top obnoxious CEO of an energy drink company who isn't very funny and just doesn't fit into the overall story very well. Hillary Swank appears as a FBI agent who is so stiff and strange that I just could not connect with her. The final 1/4 of the film where the FBI is investigating the robbery falls sorta flat as a result and it made the ending just so-so versus the rest of the movie that is just great.

I'm not sure why this film has not gotten more marketing and attention. Heck, I bet some of you have not even heard of it even though it opens in exactly one week. I think the studio may be unsure of how to market it as it makes heroes out of the NASCAR/Redneck crowd but also could be seen as mocking that culture, at least a little bit. I'm not really sure what folks from West Virginia and rural America will think of this film. I don't think it picks on them, but I would not be shocked if some folks saw it as the Hollywood elite making fun of hard-working Americans. I dunno... but I do know that I laughed a lot and had a great time watching this film. All my film critic buddies agreed that it was just a good time at the movies.

-Jason "I'll be very interested in hearing comments from the 2 or 3 of you who also see this film when it opens next weekend" Evans

[JasonEvans]

All my film critic buddies agreed that it was just a good time at the movies.

My friend, Matt Goldberg (the chief critic for Collider) who sat next to me for this flick just posted his review and it is dead on target (though he liked Hillary Swank a lot more than I did). It is worth a read.

In time, we may even come to look at Logan Lucky as better than the Ocean’s movies (and I say that as someone who thinks 11 is endlessly rewatchable, 12 is an underappreciated gem, and 13 is fine but a little too safe) because Soderbergh is operating at the top of his game. Whereas Ocean’s 11 is a propulsive movie that never takes its foot off the gas, Logan Lucky is content to just have weird scenes that pretty much lampoon the heist genre without ever undermining it. If Ocean’s 11 is too cool for school, Logan Lucky is the dropout who still achieved the same thing anyway, which makes it slightly more impressive.

The entire movie is a blast from start to finish, featuring outstanding performances from the entire cast (this is definitely Craig’s best non-Bond performance since he became Bond), and while even the film itself cites the heist as “Ocean’s 7-11”, it’s got a flavor and energy all its own. If Soderbergh wanted to do a new trilogy of Logan Lucky movies, I would be first in line. The movie is fast, fun, and an absolute joy that shows Soderbergh hasn’t missed a step. I’m still thinking about all of my favorite moments from Logan Lucky, and I can’t wait to see it again.

-Jason "I really, really, really hope enough folks go see this film that they decided to make a sequel... I would gladly spend another 2 hours with the Logan family!" Evans

[BD80]

Pedestrian cast:

Superman (Lego)/ GI Joe/ Magic Mike

James Bond

Kylo Ren

Harry Potter Universe witch

Million Dollar Baby/ Next Karate Kid

Batman's girlfriend

General George Meade

[tbyers11]

Pedestrian cast:

Superman (Lego)/ GI Joe/ Magic Mike

James Bond

Kylo Ren

Harry Potter Universe witch

Million Dollar Baby/ Next Karate Kid

Batman's girlfriend

General George Meade

And you left out:

Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier

Roy from The Office (US)

Elvis's granddaughter

[Udaman]

Thanks JE. Been looking forward to this since I saw the poster. Have no idea what it's about (didn't read your plot summary). Should get to see it next week after dropping my daughter off at college and trying to see the eclipse.

[bjornolf]

I've heard of Logan Lucky, but only because there's been a big poster at our local AMC for the last couple months. My thought from seeing the poster was that it would be like Hit & Run with Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, and Bradley Cooper.

[JasonEvans]

Rotten Tomatoes seems to agree with me about the quality of Logan Lucky -- 93% so far. Pretty impressive.

-Jason "giving this thread a bump to remind folks to see this flick when it opens this weekend. Really fun time at the movies" Evans

[mph]

Rotten Tomatoes seems to agree with me about the quality of Logan Lucky -- 93% so far. Pretty impressive.

Found one of the 7%. Rex Reed really hates Soderbergh’s movies. "Overrated director releases a flick as welcome as toenail fungus".

[JStuart]

My friend, Matt Goldberg (the chief critic for Collider) who sat next to me for this flick just posted his review and it is dead on target (though he liked Hillary Swank a lot more than I did). It is worth a read.



-Jason "I really, really, really hope enough folks go see this film that they decided to make a sequel... I would gladly spend another 2 hours with the Logan family!" Evans

Saw it last night, in the Triangle (Southpoint) in a surprisingly not-full theatre on a Saturday 7:30 showing (without any major competition).
Enjoyed it, in spite of myself; and thought I could see some Coen Brothers influences. I'm no professional critic, but thought the tempo was deliberate, and afterwards, thought it well-done. Will admit I was ready for it to be over before the Feds showed up on screen, but once Craig dug up the garbage bag, I realized the reasons for the last portion of the film. Jason's review was instrumental in getting me into the theatre (that, and it was the wife's birthday request!)

[weezie]

Saw it last night. Pretty good crowd in theater. Great cast with exception of McFarlane. He's a scene chewer. Daniel Craig is terrific , monster sexy, as is Tatum. Can Craig get a supporting nomination?
Rex Reed?! Wow how old is that guy?

[Tom B.]

Haven't seen the movie yet, but now I'm definitely intrigued, so I'll probably get to it at some point.

I did see Daniel Craig on Colbert a week or so ago, and they played a clip from Logan Lucky. Seeing James Bond do an Appalachian accent (and a pretty good one, at that) was...a bit jarring.

[FadedTackyShirt]

Thought it was really well done. Craig and Driver showed range I hadn't seen previously. Was surprised that Riley Keough somewhat upstaged Katie Holmes.

Always tricky to make audiences root for criminals, but was a good-hearted movie. Clearly not Hell or High Water, but reasonably close to O Brother Where Art Thou with a splash of My Name Is Earl.