AndersonVision Best Films of 2017: #12 – Logan Lucky (Bleecker Street)
LOGAN LUCKY REVIEWED
“Logan Lucky” hits all of those sweet spots for me. Soderbergh pulls his best Coen Brothers schtick, the film stays honest to its Hicksploitation roots and Jesco White shows up. Yeah, I know that Dwight Yoakum kills it as the Warden. It’s just that to get Jesco White in your movie, that’s the insider club special cool kid stamp of approval. Where the film stumbles is by over-extending the film past its central cast. Swank is good in the film, but the FBI agents felt tacked onto to the third act.
Some of the harder nose writers are downplaying Seth MacFarlane’s turn as a British energy drink guy, but he makes it work. The same goes for the Winter Soldier playing a Yoga obsessed driver. At times, the film feels like it’s treading into Talladega Nights territory and then the magic happens. Tatum is a great lead, but Driver and Daniel Craig get what makes the material work. Driver’s slack-jawed war veteran redneck knows the art of the dead-eyed star. Plus, Daniel Craig drops the hammer so hard here that it makes me remember why I love his Bond take.
While a lot of people will praise Daniel Craig in this film, don’t think it’s hype. What could’ve easily turned into an off-ramp from Bond is down a declaration of intent. Craig is saying that he’s not going to have that weird 16 year period that Connery had after “Diamonds Are Forever”. Both worlds can happen for him and Craig shows that he has the chops to follow through with this plan. What entertains the holy hell out of me is how a prestige director like Soderbergh gets what made the Needham films work.
This is Hicksploitation, but it’s also a Hollywood glamorous take on the stunt crime movie. Cars smash into buildings, safes blow up and people get messed up. But, the journey is going through the technical stunts to find the goofy redneck freaks that make this world so much fun. I’d be wrong to take off before mentioning Riley Keough. Keough continues to mine gold in what could be a thankless role. While we consider her to be Rock Royalty, it’s nice to see her acting choices continue to prosper. Come for the highbrow take on Stroker Ace, stay for the Game of Thrones jokes.
FILM STATS
- PG-13
- 1 hr and 59 mins
- Bleecker Street