Beneath the Reel: Logan Lucky races to success with accuracy, wit

4/5 Stars

Steven Soderbergh (director of Ocean’s 11, 12, 13 and Magic Mike) breaks through the chains of incarceration retirement and races a crime/heist film into theaters known as Logan Lucky. 


The movie isn’t well known, but the names of the all-star cast can be recognized by millions of fans -- even NASCAR ones. Channing Tatum (Jimmy Logan) (Magic Mike, 21 Jump Street, Fox Catcher), Adam Driver (Clyde Logan) (The Force Awakens, What If, This Is Where I Leave You), and Daniel Craig (Joey Bang) (007, Layer Cake, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider) are just a few of the big-name actors that are in the film. 

The plot is simple: it’s a film about two dimwitted redneck brothers that plan to rob Charlotte Motor Speedway. That’s all you need to know, but the film takes its own reigns and turns the simple-minded plot into its own living and breathing organism. 

The dialect between characters is utter enjoyment, that at times you really believe you are watching a real-life documentary about small town rednecks wanting to commit a crime. 

The humor of the film is an off color comedic style that is similar to the Coen Brothers (O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Big Lebowski, Hail, Caesar!), but incorporates a low brow wit that plays off of small town dialect and makes one liners hit home and fills the audience with laughter. Yet, the film isn’t a full-blown comedy either it has mix of a crime drama as well, but never goes flat or slows down around the turns into different transitional tones. 

The film can go from funny to serious without feeling forced to change. That is when I take my hat off to the stellar cast in being able to fully captivate small town folk in such way that it is relatable to audience members that have experienced contact with small town individuals. 

The film may feel as a rip off to the Ocean’s trilogy, but I assure you that a twist is created once you hear Adam Driver (Clyde Logan) go on his rant about the Logan’s family curses. Also, the twists taken within the film and the “how do they rob” strategy makes the film rank as one of the best crime films made to date. 

Overall, Logan Lucky makes it in the rank by its effective use in; humor, hickish ways to pull off a heist, explains how they did it and leaves a lasting impression on the heavy film induced consumer. So, pull out your phone, look up a trailer on the google, and enjoy a film about the most simple-minded people in the world, The Logan Brothers.    

4/5 Stars

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