'Logan Lucky' Review

[This review was originally written in August 2017 and is now being published to coincide with the digital home media release. For an explanation of this, visit my Fall 2017 Important Update post.] 

Logan Lucky pits audiences out in West Virginia, where tough times have convinced Jimmy Logan to team-up with his one-armed brother, his speed-demon sister, and a detained demolitions expert in order to break into the Charlotte Motor Speedway during a NASCAR race and pull off the gutsiest hillbilly heist of a lifetime. 

Despite announcing his retirement from directing four years ago, Steven Soderbergh races back into feature filmmaking with Logan Lucky. Unconventionally, Soderbergh decided to independently distribute the film because he wanted to ensure his vision made it into cinemas with no studio meddling. Another quirky fun-fact is that Soderbergh likes to handle the cinematography and editing himself under false pseudonyms (Peter Andrews and Marry Ann Bernard). I bring this up not only because it's interesting and informative, but because the film's credited screenwriter is Rebecca Blunt (who has no prior credits and is believed to be another pseudonym for either Soderbergh or his wife).

Steven Soderbergh had a tricky task ahead of him in trying to balance the dramatic heist elements with the comedic sensibilities, but across the board Soderbergh ensures Logan Lucky remains entertaining and inoffensive with a jovial tone and smart screenplay. This film could have easily veered into offensive areas by ridiculing rednecks, but Rebecca Blunt paints an authentic portrayal of the America's Deep-South instead. The characters are constructed in such a way that they don't come off as caricatures since the film takes great care to put everything into proper perspective. The situations these character find themselves in are real, so the characters are relatable to-a-degree.

One especially intriguing element to Logan Lucky is how it provides viewers a general sense of the heist, but enough information is withheld so the film never reaches a point of predictability. There are moments that seemingly meander, because the audience is kept in the dark at times, but the pay-off allows for plenty of pleasant surprises along the way. Oh, and the script is surprisingly sharp with tons of zany one-liners and hysterical moments all throughout.

Channing Tatum keeps it all together in his most venerable performance yet as the genuine family man Jimmy Logan. Alongside Tatum, Adam Driver imbues Jimmy's brother Clyde with a reserved nature and Riley Keough flexes her resilience as their sister Mellie. The one actor who took me completely off-guard was Farrah Mackenzie as Jimmy's daughter, Sadie. Mackenzie demonstrates a knack for playing out the sweetness and innocence associated with children, but takes it a step further by leaving a sizable impression for every moment she's onscreen.

Daniel Craig's the one who steals the show though as the outrageously eccentric Joe Bang. I'm really only familiar with watching Daniel Craig in the recent Bond flicks, so it was loads of fun to see such a drastic departure from the straight-laced, straight-faced gentleman spy. Bang's brothers are portrayed by Jack Quaid and Brian Gleeson, who are an absolute hoot as well. You'll also likely recognize much of the supporting talent sprinkled throughout the cast, but I won't ruin their inclusion here.

Steven Soderbergh's return to cinematic storytelling is immensely entertaining and easily of of the year's more unique entries. Logan Lucky doesn't totally transcend the heist genre, but it's a refreshing change of pace well-worth watching due to its fixed direction, some eccentric performances, and off-kilter humor.

Film Assessment: B+