Performances rule
FILM: Logan Lucky
CAST: Daniel Craig, Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Riley Keough, Katie Holmes, Hilary Swank, Seth MacFarlane, Jack Quaid, Brian Gleeson, Farrah Mackenzie
DIRECTOR: Steven Soderbergh
Set in red-neck country in the US of A, it is fitting that John Denver’s Country Roads is a key component of Steven Soderbergh’s new film (and music director David Holmes’ soundtrack). For the song sung in Lucky Logan by a saucer-eyed little girl at a beauty pageant is what turns her down and out dad Jimmy (Channing Tatum) to the straight and narrow path of redemption. For Jimmy, his onearmed Iraq veteran, bartending younger bro Clyde (Adam Driver) and beautician sister Mellie (Riley Keough) had executed an audacious heist: robbing hard cash from the underground vaults of a popular NASCAR race with some help from newly recruited friends like demolition man Joe Bang (Daniel Craig) Then, an unforeseen occurrence forces the robbers to abscond and avoid an FBI team led by Sarah Grayson (Hilary Swank) If Soderbergh’s previous outings revolved around highlife sophisticates (the
Ocean trilogy) his return with this deftly directed adventure comedy after a selfimposed “retirement” shows he still has the pluck and the luck. Perhaps, the star cast had something to do with it.
Craig is utterly convincing as a rough and tough jailbird, a far cry from his suave Bond, James Bond. Other actors too don’t disappoint: neither Channing nor Driver nor the two lovely ladies in cameos: Katie Holmes as Jimmy’s estranged wife and Hilary Swank as an FBI detective. Rebecca Blunt’s screenplay is laced with witty (and trashy) dialogue uttered mainly by blue collared hicks and hillbillies who are funny (in an endearing way) But I liked best of all, the call of consciencewhen ring leader Jimmy realises that he is a poor role model for his innocent daughter. Oh, there’s also the possibility Bang will become an honorary Logan in the inevitable sequel.