Tatum heads top cast
Just four years on from his reported retirement from movie directing, Steven Soderbergh is back – and the Ocean’s Eleven helmer once again turns his talented hand to the heist flick.
But don’t go in expecting flashy editing and stylishly dressed Hollywood hunks strutting their stuff; Logan Lucky is a very different animal to George Clooney and Brad Pitt’s casino- based capers.
Channing Tatum ( Jimmy) and Adam Driver ( Clyde) star as brothers out to make a fast buck with a daring raid on a NASCAR race in North Carolina.
To carry out the heist, Jimmy and Clyde enlist the help of a colourful crew that includes safecracker Joe Bang ( Daniel Craig) and their sister Mellie ( Riley Keough).
Rebecca Blunt makes her writing bow with a cracking script full of zingers, mad- cap scenarios and quirky characters who look like they’ve been parachuted in from a Coen brothers movie.
Tatum is perfect as the put- upon charming rogue with a hangdog expression out to better himself and his family.
Driver is a galaxy far, far away from the Jedimenacing Kylo Ren – and not just because he’s missing the Star Wars villain’s iconic helmet – as he hones his ace comedic chops using everything from a downbeat tone to Clyde’s prosthetic hand.
But it’s a barely recognisable Craig that swipes the movie from underneath everyone else; with bleached blonde hair and camp delivery, the Chester- born star hams it up in a revelatory performance that suggests a hugely promising career in a variety of genres when he finally hangs up Bond’s tuxedo.
Soderbergh is no stranger to massive ensemble casts and around every corner of Lucky Logan there’s a recognisable face adding to the well- paced hilarity, including Katie Holmes, Seth MacFarlane and Brian Gleeson.
Only Hilary Swank feels a little out of place; her special agent bringing some darkness to proceedings, but delivering a seriousness her co- stars refrain from.
The heist itself is a blast – at times literally – and the backdrop of a busy NASCAR crowd and race works brilliantly as a nice change from the usual fancy office building or iconic global landmark- set raid we’ve become familiar with.
Blunt knows how to throw up a surprise or two and we face an anxious wait to discover if Jimmy and Clyde get to happily ride off into the sunset much richer siblings.
Logan Lucky is Soderbergh’s most crowdpleasing film since the first Ocean’s hit 16 years ago and only 2013’ s Side Effects matches it on the quality scale in the intervening years.
If the 54- year- old is indeed back in the director’s chair for the long haul, then let’s hope he can maintain this creative spark and go on another run of fine form to match his early work.