Logan Lucky

Director: Steven Soderberg

Cast: Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Daniel Craig, Riley Keough

Genre: Comedy

Year: 2017

'Logan Lucky' is Soderberg's first film since his supposed 'retirement' from making movies and it is an entertaining heist film, which unfortunately doesn't always deliver 100%.


Tatum plays Jimmy Logan, a recently fired miner who is looking at stealing money from the Charlotte Motor Speedway, alongside his one-armed brother Clyde (Driver) and his sister Mellie (Keough). To help with the robbery, the Logan brothers recruit Joe Bang who is experienced in heists. However, he is incarcerated so they need to get him out of prison to steal the money.

The plot is quite similar to 'Ocean's Eleven' (2001), which was also directed by Soderberg, in the notion that it is a comedy heist film. The plot is handled rather well, for the most part feeling fluent and can be easily followed. The pacing is excellent, setting up the storyline quickly with minimal exposition and letting the rest of the film handle the action.

'Logan Lucky' was written as well as directed by Soderberg, and the dialogue is for the most part great. There is a strong Coen's vibe in the writing in the script- quirky humour, bizarre sequences, clever story. The humour is fairly hit and miss- it is at its best during the second act. There are some hilarious conversations and events which occur; however, in the first and third act, the humour feels as if it runs a bit dry. But when it works, it is brilliant.
There are some other issues which the first and third act have. Although it gets into the plot quickly, the first act feels quite bland and boring. There is a lot of talking to build character which does help with the rest of the film, but it drags a little too much. And the third act feels confusing- Soderberg tries to repeat the explanatory sequence that he used in the 'Ocean's' films but they are rapidly edited together, making it difficult to comprehend.

As far as acting goes, the cast have no real faults. The standout star is definitely Craig, who, as well as maintaining his American accent, plays a somewhat villainous persona, a rare sight for him. He portrays Joe's greediness and cunning nature perfectly and contrasts well with the naive Logan brothers.

Ultimately, 'Logan Lucky' is a good independent film, but doesn't always hit the mark. The action and comedy, when they work, are incredible and makes the film a lot of fun to watch. However, the writing does sometimes falter which creates some awkward sequences occasionally.

Verdict: 7/10