Review by CJ

Director:
Steven Soderbergh

Starring:
Channing Tatum, Daniel Craig, Adam Driver, Riley Keough, Katie Holmes, David Denman, Hilary Swank, Sebastian Stan

Other notable appearances:
Seth MacFarlane, Jim O’Heir, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, LeAnn Rimes, Dwight Yoakam, Jack Quaid, Brian Gleeson

Running time:
118 minutes

Watch this if you liked:
Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve, Ocean’s Thirteen

When Jimmy Logan (Tatum) is laid off from his job due to a pre-existing medical condition, he ignores his brother’s (Driver) warning of the Logan curse and decides to rob a NASCAR track. With the help of their sister Mellie (Keough), convicted felon Joe Bang (Craig) and Bang’s two brothers, the Logan brothers race to cross the finish line without ending up in a spin.

Logan Lucky is basically redneck Ocean’s Eleven. From the banter and the twists to the (admittedly smaller) all star cast and the upbeat soundtrack that provides perfect accompaniment.

While Logan Lucky is the right length for your average heist film, there are times when it feels overlong. This could be because it is very comedy orientated and two hours is a long time for a comedy flick. Regardless of why, Logan Lucky does drag in parts and it could have been much tighter.

Daniel Craig absolutely steals the show despite starring alongside actors who also give great performances. While not a bad thing and a great promotion for Craig’s talents, it does muddy the waters on who the protagonist is at times.

The soundtrack provides a great metronome to the film. Key moments are timed to the music and, again, it is very reminiscent of Ocean’s Eleven particularly when the twists are taking place.

If you enjoy the Ocean’s Eleven series or smart heist films in general, then Logan Lucky is a must see. While it does feel drawn out at times, it is a clever film with a talented cast, great script and engaging, albeit somewhat familiar, story.

Rating:

“I know everything there is to know about computers, okay? All the Twitters. I know ‘em.”