Logan Lucky

This review may contain spoilers!

I don't think there'll has been or will ever be a bogan heist film quite as good as this one. I would give Logan Lucky a 7.5/10.

This film brings out a really funny depiction of mid-west middle class America against the government systems and the higher ups they seek to rob. It's really quite a satisfying heist when those who would write the protagonists off as being beneath them are then brilliantly outsmarted. The film has a clever wit about it revealing the failings of the American prison system, the corporate greed of sporting entities, the ridiculousness of celebrities and some rather entertaining revelations about the depths of knowledge some of the characters possess. I've come to notice that a lot of comedies have to insert a token Game of Thrones joke these days without fail; Logan Lucky inserts the greatest comedic Game of Thrones joke of any film out. The cinematography for this film is really well framed, every shot feels like it has a purpose and often lands some pretty powerful statements.

Adam Driver, who played Clyde Logan, is the more restrained of the Logan siblings; Driver brings an insightful role to the film who dedicates a lot to supporting his family. Seth MacFarlane, who played Max Chilblain, is a very obnoxious self-centred role; MacFarlane does a great job of portraying one of the more satirical roles in the film. Daniel Craig, who played Joe Bang, is quite a sarcastic razor-sharp criminal in this film; Craig really has a lot of fun with the role and reveals a convict who has the brains to back up his infamy. Jack Quaid and Brian Gleeson, who played Fish Bang and Sam Bang respectively, have some really great back and forth dialogue as Craig's two younger brothers; I enjoyed the weird sense of morality these two claimed to have over the duration of the feature. Jon Eyez, who played Naaman, is a very funny role that lands one of the best Game of Thrones jokes I've ever seen in a comedy; his insistent need for the next GRRM book in the prison library is a really fun subversion of the convict stereotype. Dwight Yoakam, who played Warden Burns, is quite the satirical take of a prison warden; his stubborn insistence of running a perfect prison makes for some fun scenes. Sebastian Stan, who played Dayton White, has to be one of the most over the top roles in the whole film; the way he describes his 'recovery' and dieting technique results in a hilarious scene.

However the best performance came from Channing Tatum, who played Jimmy Logan. Tatum brought forward a role who was frustrated and felt like he'd been kicked around a lot in his life. He's a disgruntled army veteran who'd come home and felt like a failure to his family and to himself; by crafting a big heist he finally finds his way back to redemption. As Jimmy, Tatum balances out a man who can be hot-headed at the worst of time, an incredibly cunning thief in others and a caring father and brother in the best moments of the film.

This film moves at a slow pace; it's in no rush to reach the punchline and spends a lot of time setting things up which works well to the style more than anything else. The film can also get a bit convoluted, particularly with such a large cast of characters and varying amounts of focus upon them and their place within the plot. The story doesn't construct all of it's ideas in a manner that flows perfectly and you have to have a great deal of patience to get the most out of this film. The editing for the film doesn't lend itself to the pacing, often shots linger for far too often. The soundtrack for the film is quite monotone and doesn't lend much variety to the scenes.

Farrah Mackenzie, who played Sadie Logan, is a sweet role but there's not much to her; her changing passionsghout the film feel very superficial and she's not exceptionally relateable. Jim O'Heir, who played Cal, seems like this good-natured boss character bus his easy-going nature makes him forgettable than memorable; O'Heir doesn't really lend himself to this film and has no notable chemistry with his ex-employee Tatum. Riley Keough, who played Mellie Logan, is a role that doesn't really settle to be one consistent character; she's written to be a weird recluse and a love interest while also a snarky stylist which can make her feel poorly written. Katie Holmes, who played Bobbie Jo Chapman, is a very stereotypical harsh ex-wife role; her narcissistic tone is pushed over the top throughout. Katherine Waterston, who played Sylvia Harrison, is a real last ditch effort to give Tatum a love interest; she's certainly a poor insert into the film. Ann Mahoney, who played Gleema Purdue, feels like a running punchline rather than a role; her extended appearance feels like a waste of screen time to be frank. Hilary Swank, who played Special Agent Sarah Grayson, is given a ridiculous amount of screen time at the closing of this film; her stone cold role really doesn't make much sense and feels like another forced love interest.