Logan Lucky - Review
This review of Logan Lucky is spoiler-free!
Ahh, Steven Soderbergh. The man behinds the Oceans films, amongst others. I've never actually seen any of those movies but that's beside the point. The moral of the story is that I know those are excellent heist style films. Logan Lucky follows this same vein, but with a completely different setting and a new set of characters. I'm almost certain though that many people passed this film over in theaters (I mean I did!), and while that is a shame for its overall pull as a film, I'm prepared to explain to you just why you need to go and get this movie. I mean, is a cast of Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, and Daniel Craig not enough?
Let's be honest here, like I said at the beginning, nobody really knows what Logan Lucky is. Logan Lucky is the story of two men who are down on their luck after a series of unfortunate circumstances. In order to turn their fortunes around, they decide to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway. In order to do this though, they need to get their team back together. One of which includes a current criminal who is in prison, and his two dimwitted brothers who somehow have a strong knowledge of technology. Things quickly go awry, and the story follows this group as they attempt to piece together a heist of epic proportions. I know what you're all thinking, it sounds rather generic. Well, to be honest, it mostly is a generic premise and story! The thing though that makes this film stand out is it's characters, as while they may be called hillbillies, they're anything but.
There are multiple standout characters in this movie that are all fun, but the three that I felt are the central characters of the film or Joe Bang (Daniel Craig), and the Logan brothers: Jimmy (Channing Tatum) and Clyde (Adam Driver). Right from the start, you get the feeling that these two brothers haven't really been on the best of terms as of late. Driver and Tatum play this off extremely well, and it was quite refreshing to see Driver in a more comedic role than what I am used to from him. Tatum is the clear-cut main character of the story, as his trying to provide for his daughter who he lost to his ex-wife. I cared for Jimmy's story throughout the film, along with Clyde's. They're both people who haven't had the best lot in life, and that's what makes them so relatable as characters. While neither of them will win Oscars for their performances, they certainly deserve recognition for what they did to elevate this film. Daniel Craig's portrayal of Joe Bang fits in perfectly with Driver and Tatum, they're a bunch of hillbilly boys with a lot more to them. He doesn't quite know the full extent of Jimmy's knowledge but he has a talent for safecracking and that's vital to their mission.
The best part of this film for me is the overall tone of the story. Being that this isn't a group of incredibly talented men in suits that do this for a living, there is a lot more wiggle room for comedy and just a better tone for the film. Other heist films choose to weigh themselves down in character drama, which is something Logan Lucky avoids rather well. Outside of the character of Jimmy, the majority of the other characters know how to have fun with their situation and I can't praise Soderbergh enough for recognizing this and incorporating it into the story. This film isn't meant to be an extremely serious one overall, it's meant to provide a good viewing experience for the audience. While I wouldn't necessarily say that it is a true comedy, it is certainly a fun film.
Looking back on Logan Lucky, I don't hesitate to say that as a package, it's a good film. It's not going to win any awards for how excellent it is, but I had a genuinely good time the entirety of the movie. This is something that doesn't always occur, but when I can have my attention kept for the entire movie, that is great. The characters in this film really help to elevate the rather generic heist film story, and I see a means for this to become even more than one film. While I say that though, I don't know if I want it to be. There's something unique about creating a film of this kind and choosing to leave it where it is. I hope I convinced you all of how much fun Logan Lucky is, now go out and check it out!
