Logan Lucky (2017)
August 24, 2017 1:50 PM - Subscribe
Two brothers attempt to pull off a heist during a NASCAR race in North Carolina.
A corn-pone heist movie jokingly referred to as "Ocean's 7-11", this film marks Steven Soderbergh's return from self-announced retirement. Purposely un-smooth and un-slick, It's solid entertainment on a number of levels, though it does heavily borrow from the Ocean movies, but as if viewed through a cracked lense. The plot is so twisted that several reviewers mentioned losing track of it here and there, but it doesn't seem to matter to the total effect. With Channing Tatum, Adam Driver and Riley Keough as the Logan clan, Daniel Craig, Jack Quaid and Brian Gleeson as the Bangs, their partners in crime, and Seth MacFarlane as a rich asshole. Dwight Yoakam and Hilary Swank also appear.
A corn-pone heist movie jokingly referred to as "Ocean's 7-11", this film marks Steven Soderbergh's return from self-announced retirement. Purposely un-smooth and un-slick, It's solid entertainment on a number of levels, though it does heavily borrow from the Ocean movies, but as if viewed through a cracked lense. The plot is so twisted that several reviewers mentioned losing track of it here and there, but it doesn't seem to matter to the total effect. With Channing Tatum, Adam Driver and Riley Keough as the Logan clan, Daniel Craig, Jack Quaid and Brian Gleeson as the Bangs, their partners in crime, and Seth MacFarlane as a rich asshole. Dwight Yoakam and Hilary Swank also appear.
Saw this on Tuesday. I thought it was a very laid production even if it was a heist film. The performances were all good save for Seth McFarlane's (why?!) very fake, over-the-top British magnate and Hilary Swank's wound-too-tight FBI agent -- she looked she was channeling Jeffrey Combs in The Frighteners.
The heist itself held a nice surprise. It was a little too coincidental but it was a nice change up from the culprits being able to utilize a lot of high tech gadgets to get them in and out. The painted roaches/birthday cake was a sweet touch.
I didn't understand why they couldn't figure out how much money had been stolen after all.
I think they really had no idea how much they had collected during that day. The concessions manager just gets them to collect cash and notes that they'll tally up later leaving the thieves to collect all of it and then return a good chunk of it thereby making a getaway with a goodly amount.
posted by nikitabot at 2:26 PM on August 26, 2017 [4 favorites]
The heist itself held a nice surprise. It was a little too coincidental but it was a nice change up from the culprits being able to utilize a lot of high tech gadgets to get them in and out. The painted roaches/birthday cake was a sweet touch.
I didn't understand why they couldn't figure out how much money had been stolen after all.
I think they really had no idea how much they had collected during that day. The concessions manager just gets them to collect cash and notes that they'll tally up later leaving the thieves to collect all of it and then return a good chunk of it thereby making a getaway with a goodly amount.
posted by nikitabot at 2:26 PM on August 26, 2017 [4 favorites]
I liked how Jimmy was teaching Sadie self-reliance by having her help him work on his truck.
posted by brujita at 3:55 PM on August 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by brujita at 3:55 PM on August 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
It wasn't a great film but it was an enjoyable movie.
I don't think Seth McFarlane is without talent but you'd never know it from this performance. A certain amount of over-the-topness was required from pretty much everyone in the cast but his blew through over the top into eye roll valley for me.
I did enjoy some the slapstick here.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 6:45 PM on August 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
I don't think Seth McFarlane is without talent but you'd never know it from this performance. A certain amount of over-the-topness was required from pretty much everyone in the cast but his blew through over the top into eye roll valley for me.
I did enjoy some the slapstick here.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 6:45 PM on August 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
I saw this Saturday. I ... liked it? It was fun, and had some fun performances. I didn't honestly care about McFarlane's (I don't even think I realized that's him, as I have zero idea of what he looks like). Swank's seemed like a weird choice, but I don't even know why she was there -- big my criticism in fact is that the end dragged too long. Why even have that character? Or, why bother having it be a big name? Just get the post-heist reveal done and get out, no need for what felt like 15 minutes of wrap-up.
So: worth watching, and fun, but could've been closed up at least 5 minutes earlier.
posted by tocts at 5:58 PM on August 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
So: worth watching, and fun, but could've been closed up at least 5 minutes earlier.
posted by tocts at 5:58 PM on August 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
I was just thinking about this...I think I missed something in the Katherine Waterston part...I'm not sure why he sent her an envelope full of money. Theories of possibilities after one viewing three days ago:
1) She mentioned something (that I missed/have forgotten) about needing funding for the mobile free clinic
2) They were already dating and their interplay about not knowing each other was just playful banter (that I didn't pick up on)
3) Tatum sent her A LOT of money just because he liked her...?
posted by doctornecessiter at 7:45 AM on August 28, 2017
1) She mentioned something (that I missed/have forgotten) about needing funding for the mobile free clinic
2) They were already dating and their interplay about not knowing each other was just playful banter (that I didn't pick up on)
3) Tatum sent her A LOT of money just because he liked her...?
posted by doctornecessiter at 7:45 AM on August 28, 2017
(Nevermind, everybody had matching towels reminded me offline that Waterston mentioned having some kind of engine trouble with the free clinic van, he was paying for that.)
(But now we're not sure why the cockroaches were painted if all of the tubes went right to the vault, and the cockroaches were possibly only there to go after the cake...?)
posted by doctornecessiter at 9:13 AM on August 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
(But now we're not sure why the cockroaches were painted if all of the tubes went right to the vault, and the cockroaches were possibly only there to go after the cake...?)
posted by doctornecessiter at 9:13 AM on August 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
Anne Helen Peterson at BuzzFeed: The New Channing Tatum Heist Movie Is More Political Than You Think
posted by ellieBOA at 11:22 PM on August 28, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by ellieBOA at 11:22 PM on August 28, 2017 [4 favorites]
I thought the cockroaches were painted to test which tubes output to which area... the pink-painted ones ended up outputting to the vault? And that's how they knew which tube to target later?
And the only way they would have gained that awareness was by being inside the room, which was engineered by getting onto the extermination team and going inside to verify the successful arrival of pink ones, showing them which tube to use later.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 5:40 AM on September 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
And the only way they would have gained that awareness was by being inside the room, which was engineered by getting onto the extermination team and going inside to verify the successful arrival of pink ones, showing them which tube to use later.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 5:40 AM on September 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Awesome Petersen article- well spotted, ellieBOA!
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 5:44 AM on September 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 5:44 AM on September 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Adam Driver's hair is magnificent in this movie, better than the hair of the Logan sibling who does hair for a living. Give the man a Pantene campaign.
(What was up with Swank's Clint Eastwood impression??)
posted by Iris Gambol at 7:35 PM on September 4, 2017 [3 favorites]
(What was up with Swank's Clint Eastwood impression??)
posted by Iris Gambol at 7:35 PM on September 4, 2017 [3 favorites]
Saw this last night.
I did not recognize Hilary Swank till the credits, and thought it was Jennifer Garner! Also I did not recognize Sebastian Stan or Seth MacFarlane. And I didn't recognize Adam Driver and thought it was Adrien Brody, basically because of the nose. Basically, hey other folks who do not recognize movie stars, I am like you.
I agree with I_Love_Bananas about the bug-painting.
doctornecessiter, Sylvia (the doctor) had mentioned that the mobile clinic was funded mostly by donations, and yeah, Jimmy had said to her that the alternator (I think) needed fixing/replacing, and she replied implying that the clinic didn't have money to fix/replace it.
I'm also wondering whether the FBI agent has decided to keep on watching these folks to prove her suspicion to her own satisfaction, to pursue the investigation and then get them arrested, to try to hang out with them (maybe she's fallen for Clyde?), or what.
I'm so fond of Clyde's Eeyore-like delivery and movement.
Loved the imprompu chemistry lesson, the Game of Thrones argument, the "you can't drive stick" taunting, the diorama, the prison nurse, and the pageant scene.
My spouse said that Talladega Nights is kind of happening in the background of Logan Lucky and I agree -- Joe's brothers who say that stealing from NASCAR is like hurting America; the NASCAR driver ("clean software") and the tycoon car owner (energy drink specially bottled in a magnum); Jimmy's daughter sad at getting second place.
posted by brainwane at 9:44 AM on September 16, 2017 [3 favorites]
I did not recognize Hilary Swank till the credits, and thought it was Jennifer Garner! Also I did not recognize Sebastian Stan or Seth MacFarlane. And I didn't recognize Adam Driver and thought it was Adrien Brody, basically because of the nose. Basically, hey other folks who do not recognize movie stars, I am like you.
I agree with I_Love_Bananas about the bug-painting.
doctornecessiter, Sylvia (the doctor) had mentioned that the mobile clinic was funded mostly by donations, and yeah, Jimmy had said to her that the alternator (I think) needed fixing/replacing, and she replied implying that the clinic didn't have money to fix/replace it.
I'm also wondering whether the FBI agent has decided to keep on watching these folks to prove her suspicion to her own satisfaction, to pursue the investigation and then get them arrested, to try to hang out with them (maybe she's fallen for Clyde?), or what.
I'm so fond of Clyde's Eeyore-like delivery and movement.
Loved the imprompu chemistry lesson, the Game of Thrones argument, the "you can't drive stick" taunting, the diorama, the prison nurse, and the pageant scene.
My spouse said that Talladega Nights is kind of happening in the background of Logan Lucky and I agree -- Joe's brothers who say that stealing from NASCAR is like hurting America; the NASCAR driver ("clean software") and the tycoon car owner (energy drink specially bottled in a magnum); Jimmy's daughter sad at getting second place.
posted by brainwane at 9:44 AM on September 16, 2017 [3 favorites]
The United Airlines inflight magazine, Hemispheres, has a Soderbergh interview where he talks about genre, Daniel Craig, and class and social issues in the background of the film.
posted by brainwane at 9:46 AM on September 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by brainwane at 9:46 AM on September 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm so fond of Clyde's Eeyore-like delivery and movement.
Yes! His "I saw you had some sort of robbery to-do list," and how touched he was that Jimmy made the bacon just the way he likes it, made the movie for me. (Also, the one Bang brother's "DANGERUS" tattoo made me laugh. And I laughed at the "scarlet fever" excuse the brothers gave for their inability to smell anything, until I got home and consulted the google -- third hit was an account of scarlet fever in a 6-year-old West Virginian boy in 2005.)
Are we supposed to think that Jimmy's ex-wife has realized his part in the robbery (with her exchange with Mellie backstage, about Jimmy's job at the raceway; how Jimmy barely makes the talent portion of the contest but the FBI thinks he was there much longer; from some of Bobbie Jo's expressions post-crime; etc.), and that he's in her good graces by the end of the movie because she believes he abandoned (all) the money in that convenience store parking lot?
(Also bummed to realize they'd been high school sweethearts, based on that one line from the mobile medical clinic lady.)
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:45 PM on September 16, 2017
Yes! His "I saw you had some sort of robbery to-do list," and how touched he was that Jimmy made the bacon just the way he likes it, made the movie for me. (Also, the one Bang brother's "DANGERUS" tattoo made me laugh. And I laughed at the "scarlet fever" excuse the brothers gave for their inability to smell anything, until I got home and consulted the google -- third hit was an account of scarlet fever in a 6-year-old West Virginian boy in 2005.)
Are we supposed to think that Jimmy's ex-wife has realized his part in the robbery (with her exchange with Mellie backstage, about Jimmy's job at the raceway; how Jimmy barely makes the talent portion of the contest but the FBI thinks he was there much longer; from some of Bobbie Jo's expressions post-crime; etc.), and that he's in her good graces by the end of the movie because she believes he abandoned (all) the money in that convenience store parking lot?
(Also bummed to realize they'd been high school sweethearts, based on that one line from the mobile medical clinic lady.)
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:45 PM on September 16, 2017
Odd coincidence that I ended up watching this and the Kingsman sequel in one week, both with in-film renditions of Take me home, Country Road.
posted by biffa at 3:35 PM on October 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by biffa at 3:35 PM on October 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
I just got back from watching this. It cheered me up enormously. I was reminded very strongly of English comedies of the fifties and sixties, oddly - Ealing comedies such as The Lavender Hill Mob or something like Two-Way Stretch.
I've not read the linked articles - shall now - but I felt it was a very compassionate film. As someone completely outside the U.S. it seemed to capture the environment for many people that the bizarre political ructions of the last couple of years emerged from. Worth noting that despite their setbacks, most of the characters are intelligent, capable and imaginative.
posted by Grangousier at 9:22 AM on October 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
I've not read the linked articles - shall now - but I felt it was a very compassionate film. As someone completely outside the U.S. it seemed to capture the environment for many people that the bizarre political ructions of the last couple of years emerged from. Worth noting that despite their setbacks, most of the characters are intelligent, capable and imaginative.
posted by Grangousier at 9:22 AM on October 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Just saw this tonight. I enjoyed it though it's a light drink that I don't think i'm going to remember for very long.
It reminded me of how bad Baby Driver was. I suppose it also reminded me of how awful Hell or High Water was in its grasping at WWC America. I do wonder what West Virginians think of this movie though.
posted by fleacircus at 12:21 AM on December 14, 2017
It reminded me of how bad Baby Driver was. I suppose it also reminded me of how awful Hell or High Water was in its grasping at WWC America. I do wonder what West Virginians think of this movie though.
posted by fleacircus at 12:21 AM on December 14, 2017
Finally saw this and it was OK but weirdly slack for a Soderberg film. It billed itself as a heist film (Oceans 7-11) but spent more time on family drama than the actual plan and the tone seemed all over the place.
posted by octothorpe at 7:48 AM on January 1, 2018
posted by octothorpe at 7:48 AM on January 1, 2018
I thought the slack was an intentional choice, in line with the ways in which this movie is kind of a bait-and-switch: it fulfills the requirements of its genre dutifully, and then uses audience familiarity with that structure to focus on something else. The intra-scene pacing especially seems designed to be actively unhurried, which I think is an attempt to not just show these characters but also live alongside them. I think the large-scale pacing, with its reluctance to raise the stakes to nail-biting levels, is the same way. It's a kind of storytelling that seems really familiar to me from my Texan family, a kind that rejoices in recounting a time that a person or group of people had a hell of a good time and stuck it to the powers that be besides. It's exciting not because you're worried about whether the protagonists are going to make it through unscathed, but because they're having fun and you're having fun hearing about what they did and the whole thing is recounted charmingly and with warmth. I can totally see that not working for viewers who expect something different from it qua movie, but I really enjoyed it.
Because of things like that I think this movie is more than just a well-constructed refreshment, but I also agree with some of the criticism I've read elsewhere that it aims at a Coen-like wielding of genre norms to do something more without quite nailing the something more. Still, I think it was an admirable and interesting attempt. I definitely agree that Hilary Swank's performance was inscrutable in a nearly-unwatchable way, I really have no idea what was going on there or what direction could possibly have led to that take on her character.
posted by invitapriore at 8:41 PM on February 6, 2018 [8 favorites]
Because of things like that I think this movie is more than just a well-constructed refreshment, but I also agree with some of the criticism I've read elsewhere that it aims at a Coen-like wielding of genre norms to do something more without quite nailing the something more. Still, I think it was an admirable and interesting attempt. I definitely agree that Hilary Swank's performance was inscrutable in a nearly-unwatchable way, I really have no idea what was going on there or what direction could possibly have led to that take on her character.
posted by invitapriore at 8:41 PM on February 6, 2018 [8 favorites]
I don't necessarily think that the ex-wife was in on the heist. If you watch her reaction to her daughter's performance, you see that something shifts inside her. Whatever that is influences her behavior at the end.
posted by Brocktoon at 8:29 AM on February 18, 2018
posted by Brocktoon at 8:29 AM on February 18, 2018
I asked the same question about Bobbi Jo when we watched the movie yesterday, and my wife said “Well duh, Jimmy’s putting in the time and effort to pay spousal support and be more present in Sadie’s life, which is all Bobbie Jo ever wanted from him after the divorce.”
The hidden political message is that Jimmy’s only able to be more present because he doesn’t have to worry about how he’s going to pay his spousal support bills any more. Maybe if everyone in the movie had a basic income they’d be happier and better people too.
posted by infinitewindow at 8:21 PM on August 12, 2018 [5 favorites]
The hidden political message is that Jimmy’s only able to be more present because he doesn’t have to worry about how he’s going to pay his spousal support bills any more. Maybe if everyone in the movie had a basic income they’d be happier and better people too.
posted by infinitewindow at 8:21 PM on August 12, 2018 [5 favorites]
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
I didn't understand why they couldn't figure out how much money had been stolen after all. Can't they simply add up the take at all the cash registers and subtract what was left in the vault and returned? Wouldn't that give you what was missing, to within petty cash? There was some insinuation that the raceway was committing insurance fraud on the side, and didn't want to have its books examined too closely, but I don't see how they get away with that.
One other thing at the end - was the suggestion that Hilary Swank was carrying on the investigation on her own as a vendetta ("the one that got away"), that she was so impressed that she wanted to actually hang with them, or both?
posted by RedOrGreen at 11:17 AM on August 25, 2017