Welcome to The Daily Cup a movie blog/writing project by Kyle B. Dekker, presented by Hot Chocolate Media. You can read series concept here. The basic rules, Kyle must watch 365 movies in 2018 and write about all of them. 292 of them have to be movies he's never seen before. Thanks for reading.
Heist films are another genre I very much enjoy. They are straightforward romps where one group is trying to get something and another group is either trying to catch them during the acto or after. Their fun comes from the ensemble team that has to put the heist together. You have your mastermind who conceives the plan and various others who help execute it. You have a tech guy, you have a wild card, you have an inside man, and on and on. Logan Lucky (2017) from modern heistmaster Steven Soderbergh is a great entry into the heist genre.
Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum) is divorced father who loves his daughter and works construction. When he is let go from his job for administrative reasons he plans a heist from the Charlotte Motor Speedway. He enlists the help of his brother Clyde (Adam Driver), his sister Mellie (Riley Keough), bomb expert Joe Bang (Daniel Craig), Joe Bang’s brother’s Fish (Jack Quaid) and Sam (Brian Gleeson). The plan is elaborate and involves several moving parts. It is all well orchestrated and set to a fantastic score. I’m going to leave the details out because the best part of a heist film is watching it unfold.
This film brings back the southern working class versus the man subgenre so prevalent in older films like Smokey and The Bandit, The Dukes of Hazzard. The Logan/Bang gang is a group of society outcasts, cursed with bad luck and low paying jobs. You are rooting for them to pull off the heist, and praying they don’t get caught. And while they are simple southern folks in lifestyle, they are still smart and clever. Often Hollywood has a problem in portraying low class groups of people as less than intelligent, Soderbergh does a good job of avoiding that trope.
What really works in Logan Lucky are the interactions between the characters and the crafting of a fun heist team. Adam Driver is absolutely fun every minute he is on screen. His Clyde character supports his brother every step of the way, even though he hates the idea. He is loyal and competent, and totally adorable. Daniel Craig’s performance as Joe Bang is just the best thing in this movie. It’s a huge departure from his typical roles, and he delivers with gusto. Joe Bang is mad scientist genius, with a penchant for burglary. As a father I really could relate to the relationship between Clyde Logan and his daughter Sadie (Farrah Mackenzie). They have such genuine joy spending time with each other on screen and informs Clyde’s motivation for the heist.
Logan Lucky is a perfect complement to Soderbergh’s other heist films. The blue collar setting and characters gives it a more personal edge than the flash and glamour of the Danny Ocean movies, a nice change up for the genre. Well executed with just the right amount of curve-balls and plot reveals, this is a must watch for all heist film fans.
Tally
Movies new to me watched: 39/292
Other movies: 9/73
Total movies watched: 48/365
Have your own thoughts or opinions on this movie? Comment below or contact Kyle at kyle@hotchocolatemedia.net or on Twitter at @kbdekker.