Review: Logan Lucky

Logan Lucky
Cert: 12A / 119 mins / Dir. Steven Soderbergh / Trailer



Well I don't know what we've done to deserve the interesting films still within the months of Summer, but I certainly won't complain about that*¹. Steven Soderbergh is back directing for at the big-screen after four years with a hillbilly-heist movie set in the drawling sunshine of Carolina and Virginia.

After being fired from his construction job, faded highschool football-star Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum) begins plotting a daring robbery at the Charlotte Motor Speedway stadium during its busiest weekend. For this he enlists the help of his bartending brother Clyde (Adam Driver), hairdressing sister Mellie (Riley Keough) demolitions-expert Joe Bang (Daniel Craig) and Joe's calamitous brothers Sam and Fish (Brian Gleeson / Jack Quaid). All they have to do is bust Joe out of prison first…

Quite unlike anything else which has crossed my path this year, Logan Lucky is a dryly-comic caper set against a backdrop of NASCAR, child beauty pageants and misspelled tattoos. But although the Southern States are mined for grins, this never becomes exploitative or unnecessary. While the trailer lets you know that there are jokes here, the final movie delivers them at a more restrained pace, going hand-in-hand with their perfect deadpan delivery. It quickly becomes evident however that Soderbergh can't direct comedy for shit, and just happens to be blessed with a cast who know what they're doing*².

But this is a smarter film than it might first appear and even more charming, managing to craft an intriguing story and satisfying ending without tipping over into schmaltz. Despite the incredibly strong cast, I can't see Logan Lucky lighting up the box-office, and the natural home of a movie like this is on DVD, a future Saturday night cult classic. It's also the second film this year to hurl a borderline unhealthy amount of John Denver into the soundtrack*³.

One of the jewels in Soderbergh's varied (albeit uneven) crown, Logan Lucky is a lot of fun and should stand up to multiple re-watches. Each one accompanied with ice-cold beer…

Hell Or High Water, My Name Is Earl.



If you can, do.



In its own unique way, yes.



I shouldn't have thought so.



Nope.



Nope.



Level 1: Kylo Ren's in this. And so's that stormtrooper who got duped by beginner-level Rey...





*¹ Not least because this year's Blockbuster Season has also presented us with far more than its fair share of absolute cack, too. ^{[ BACK ]}

*² With the inglorious exception of Seth MacFarlane, outstaying his welcome during his first appearance, being every bit as engaging as we've come to expect… ^{[ BACK ]}

*³ Which is fine right now, but I can't help feel this musical train is going to reach the end of its track, and pretty soon. ^{[ BACK ]}


DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.

Review: Behind The Candelabra

Behind The Candelabra
Cert: 15 / 118 mins / Dir. Steven Soderbergh



As much as I enjoyed Behind The Candelabra (and I did enjoy it), I felt a sort of disconnect throughout; as if we were being shown a series of snapshots down a timeline, with little to connect them as a flowing story other than the characters. Whether this is the result of Richard LaGravenese's screenplay or Steven Soderbergh's directing is up for debate, but I think there's a much more involving film to be made from the footage they shot. At times the pace seems to drag (the opening 15 minutes), while other sections don't seem to get the screen-time they deserve (Douglas and Damon's last scene together), and the episodic structure prevents any real momentum from building up.

But… it's a thoroughly fascinating couple of hours. The film looks as gorgeous as you'd expect it to, both on and off the stage, and it's rich with period-detail that never seems overdone. Given the nature of the story, 'Candelabra' is surprisingly light on the overblown camp that you'd expect, although it's frequently funny and frequently sad, frequently at the same time.

This film really belongs to Michael Douglas, and he looks like he's having the time of his life playing Liberace. He's pretty much the only character I warmed to, but I get the impression that's intentional. Matt Damon puts in a fairly solid turn as Scott Thorson, Liberace's lover and companion. While I had no problem buying into the characters individually, I wasn't convinced of the emotional connection between the two, and that is what the film's supposed to be about, isn't it? But as I said above, I think this is more down to how the film has been written and edited rather than the performances themselves.

Dan Aykroyd and Scott Bakula provide an understated backup presence, and Douglas's only real competitor for audience attention comes in the form of Rob Lowe as a pill-dealing plastic surgeon who can't close his eyes properly.

All in all, it's a film that I do recommend, but as a snapshot of the private life of an amazing entertainer, not as a love story.

I wanted to love Behind The Candelabra, but ended up only being able to like it. It never becomes more than the sum of its parts, and the potential is there for a much greater film.

Mostly, although the trailer's a lot more dynamic than the film.



Not as much as I wanted to.



I think it achieves what Soderbergh set out to do.



DVD.



No.



Yes.



No.

In the hands of a different director, I think 'Candelabra' could have been more emotionally engaging. But who would be right for the gig?

DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.