Logan Lucky: Review

Steven Soderbergh is one of my favorite American filmmakers and his magnum opus Ocean’s Eleven is in my top ten favorite films of all-time so it’s basically a given that I’d be very excited for his inevitable return after a four-and-a-half year-long hiatus. And with his return, Soderbergh decides to spice up the hits, and unleash Logan Lucky, a Southern-fried redux of his trilogy of coolness. Logan Lucky boasts an amazing all-star cast and a release at the back end of an underwhelming summer when we’re all in need of good ole harmless entertainment at the cinema. I for one, can safely that I have never had as good a time at all this year as I’ve had with this film.
Steven Soderbergh’s films always have an explosive amount of personality to them, and he has a knack for exploring culture in a very fair and well-balanced manner. Those abilities of his are on complete display at peak performance here. Soderbergh paints his characters in a comedic yet completely empathetic light. One second, we’re laughing at our central characters for their “aw, shucks” hillbilly antics and then another second, Soderbergh is pulling our sympathies so we can understand our characters and why they do what they do. Speaking of characters, this film has the best. Channing Tatum and Adam Driver have authentic and lovable brotherly chemistry, Daniel Craig gives by far his best performance yet, and supporting actors like Seth MacFarlane, Sebastian Stan, Hilary Swank, and Katherine Waterston play great scenery-chewing characters.
My favorite part of ANY Soderbergh film is, or course, his shot composition and as per usual, it’s on a god-tier level. Every fiber of this film is owed to Soderbergh and you feel his presence as an auteur. Logan Lucky has more significance other than being the film that saves the summer, it’s Soderbergh’s first step in trying to blow-up the Hollywood studio system in finding a way to make a film more profitable for the filmmakers and I obviously have to respect the hell out of him for that.
Soderbergh may be playing up the hits with Logan Lucky but he breathes a great amount of life into his narrative about one particularly unlucky family in the thick of Americana. I could easily see myself rewatching this film over and over again. Logan Lucky is one hilarious fast-paced twisty-turning caper with a tremendous soundtrack. It may not be Soderbergh's best (it's certainly one of) but it's by far his funniest and most entertaining, and I wouldn't want to have it any other way. One of my favorite portrayals of working class America in film to date. (10/10)

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