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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 18 august 2017
Review: ‘Logan Lucky’ is sure to put a smile on your face

By LINDSEY BAHR, AP Film to genre stories about the
Writer state of the working class
“Logan Lucky “ is an easy man? Check. Dopey but
movie to like, but maybe reliable sidekick brothers?
not love. Check, check, check.
In his big return to film af- That’s not to say that “Lo-
ter a four-year hiatus (or gan Lucky” has nothing
retirement, if it can even new to offer — it just feels
be called that now), Ste- unshakably familiar in a
ven Soderbergh has cre- way that could irk some
ated a sort of cinematic and feel like home to oth-
bingo of his well of tricks. ers.
Heist movie? Check. Chan- The setting for this heist is
ning Tatum? Check. Not so West Virginia, where Ta-
subtle metaphors slipped in tum’s Jimmy Logan has

This image released by Bleecker Street shows Adam Driver, left, and Channing Tatum in “Logan
Lucky.”

just been laid off from his going anywhere anytime face and happened to
coal mining job because soon, which is why they be about something more
one of the higher-ups spot- decide to try to take some- than male strippers. “Logan
ted him walking around thing back from the insti- Lucky,” despite the social
with a limp. Like a distant tutions that have failed to consciousness, is slightly
cousin to Magic Mike, share the wealth with the more trivial.
who supplemented wan- people who support them. And unlike “Magic Mike,”
ing construction work with Their plan? To intercept the it never really feels like it’s
stripping, Jimmy Logan is cash flow at a big NASCAR about the people it’s about
another side of the Ameri- race. — it is all surface. You’re
can dream dashed. Once They gather up some help always very keenly aware
a high school football star in an incarcerated de- you’re watching movie
with a promising future, molition savant, Joe Bang stars who are just playing at
Jimmy has ended up in (Daniel Craig, who is hilari- being hillbillies.
the same place where he ous), and his knucklehead That’s not a bad thing —
began, only slightly worse. but shrewd-enough broth- especially when you’ve
He’s also got a young ers Fish (Jack Quaid) and got a batch of charismatic
daughter, Sadie (a preco- Sam (Brian Gleeson) who personalities hamming it up
cious and adorable Far- say things like they “know in trucker hats without con-
rah Mackenzie), and an all the things there is to descending to their sub-
ex-wife (Katie Holmes) who know about computers” jects.
has traded up for a middle while playing horseshoes It’s a gimmick, however
class husband (David Den- with toilet seats. enjoyable, that goes on a
man) and may be moving Suffice it to say, this is not little too long, with a few
across state lines imminent- some verite look at the too many tangents that
ly. world of coal miners and can’t sustain the pulsating
His brother, Clyde Logan NASCAR lovers, nor is it an energy of, say, any of the
(Adam Driver) is a slow- all-out comedy a la “Talla- “Ocean’s” movies.
talkin’ bartender who lost dega Nights: The Ballad of But, flaws aside, it is a darn
one of his arms serving in Ricky Bobby.” Rather, it’s good heist, and sure to
Iraq, but can still make a an interesting combination leave you with a smile on
killer martini when an ar- of the two, closest, proba- your face. We should be
rogant NASCAR sponsor bly to Adam McKay’s “The glad Soderbergh is back,
played by Seth MacFar- Big Short” but a lot sillier. hopefully this time for good.
lane challenges him. “Logan Lucky” throws in bits “Logan Lucky,” a Bleecker
And his sister, Mellie Lo- about charity health work- Street release, is rated PG-
gan (Riley Keough), is a ers providing shots to the 13 by the Motion Picture
no-nonsense hairdresser underprivileged West Vir- Association of America
who wears acrylics, drives ginians next to MacFarlane for “language and some
a stick and has no time for sporting a Rick James wig crude comments.” Running
try-hards like her ex-sister-in- and a British accent. For all time: 119 minutes. Two and
law’s new husband. its wildness, “Magic Mike” a half stars out of four.q
The Logans, simply, are not was done with a straight