Tags
Adam Driver, Brendan Gleeson, Brian Gleeson, Channing Tatum, Daniel Craig, Dawson's Creek, Dennis Quaid, Elvis Presley, Family Guy, Farrah Mackenzie, Girls, Hilary Swank, Jack Quaid, James Bond, Katie Holmes, Logan Lucky, Mad Max, Magic Mike, Meg Ryan, NASCAR, PS I Love You, Riley Keough, Seth MacFarlane, Star Wars, Ted
Channing Tatum (Magic Mike) stars as working class Jimmy Logan, a doting father to his daughter Sadie (Farrah Mackenzie) with ex-wife Bobbie Jo (Katie Holmes, Dawson’s Creek), but when Bobbie Jo announces she and Sadie are moving across the state line Jimmy comes up with a plan to get the money needed to fight for his parental rights.
The plan is to attempt to pull off a heist during a NASCAR race in North Carolina – a racetrack in which until recently Jimmy had been working construction at. With detailed knowledge of the area Jimmy believes he has what it takes to pull it off but he can’t do it alone. Therefore Jimmy pulls in his brother Clyde (Adam Driver, Girls, Star Wars), his sister Mellie (Riley Keough, Mad Max – and Elvis Presley’s granddaughter) and local bomb expert Joe Bang (Daniel Craig, James Bond). Trouble is, Joe Bang is currently serving time so Jimmy’s plan to rob the racetrack must also include the escape and return of Joe without the authorities realising.
Logan Lucky is filled with a cast of big names – which is surprising as its had hardly any promotion over here – but due to the cast and their brilliant acting abilities, this film saves itself from being a flop. The story line surrounding the heist is very unbelievable but because you are invested in the characters you totally believe their actions. It helps that the script throws in a mix of funny, serious and tense moments as the plan gets underway, giving the film the perfect mix of tension and comedy.
Channing Tatum is great as Jimmy, you can really see the special connection he has with his daughter which fuels his desperation to get enough money to fight for her. Adam Driver brings the majority of the laughs as his character struggles to go along with his older brother’s wild plan, and alongside Riley Keough as their sister, the three make a brilliant trio.
Daniel Craig gives a very different performance to his usual suave Bond character, instead he has a bleached blond crew cut and is covered in tattoos. Daniel is a great actor though and pulls off the bad boy image perfectly. His character is also one of a trio as it’s not long before his two brothers are pulled in to help too. These are played by Brian Gleeson (son of Brendan Gleeson) and Jack Quaid (son of Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid), who are the ultimate stereotype of what you think American rednecks are like. Altogether the 6 characters are the least likely to be able to pull off a heist successfully and therefore it’s not surprising that they face many challenges along the way.
Also starring in the film are Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, Ted) and Hilary Swank (P.S. I Love You). Hilary shows up towards the end and was definitely a surprise to see but her arrival signals a turn in the story line and yet another challenge put towards Jimmy and the gang.
Overall, the story line is very far-fetched but in a way that’s what gives Logan Lucky a certain charm. It’s definitely not the best film ever made and at two hours long it gets a little boring towards the end but when the heist is actually taking place it has you gripped. There’s a few laughs throughout and a great cast which redeems the film a lot but it’s probably one you’ll easily forget about. Also some of their southern accents don’t quite match which gets a little grating by the end.