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Laramie Movie Scope: Logan Lucky

A totally redneck crime caper comedy

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by Robert Roten, Film Critic
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August 24, 2017 -- This Steven Soderbergh-directed heist drama has many of the earmarks of his “Ocean” trifecta of heist movies, but without the slick con men and high rollers in fancy casinos. This time it is rednecks at car racetracks working in overalls with garbage bags. These guys don't look smart or seem to act smart. Nonetheless, they've come up with a very clever and extremely complicated heist scheme.

Unlike some heist movies, this one doesn't reveal much of the plan at first. It is not obvious what all these activities have towards the goal until the plan starts to become more clear later in the film. Much of the plot revolves around Jimmy Logan (played by Channing Tatum of “Magic Mike”) and his brother, Clyde (Adam Driver of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”) and Jimmy's young daughter, Sadie (Farrah Mackenzie).

When Jimmy loses his construction job at a race track, he worries about losing his visitation rights to see his daughter. His divorced wife, Bobbie Jo Chapman (Katie Holmes of “Batman Begins”) has remarried and the family is moving farther away from him. Jimmy plans a heist of racetrack money using his knowledge of the underground passages at the racetrack where he worked.

In order to pull off the heist, Jimmy recruits an imprisoned safecracker, Joe Bang (Daniel Craig of the James Bond movies) Joe's brothers Sam (Brian Gleeson) and Fish (Jack Quaid), and sister Mellie (Riley Keough of “Mad Max: Fury Road”). The plan calls for breaking Joe Bang out of prison and getting him back into prison after the heist, but before the authorities know he is gone. Part of the plan involves getting Jimmy's brother Clyde into prison to facilitate Joe Bang's escape. The plan gets way more complicated from there.

The charm of this film is not the heist, which is ridiculously complicated and improbable, but in its combination of quirky, often very funny, characters and the entirely earnest way the actors play these characters. This movie reminds me of some Coen Brothers films in the way it depicts humor arising from character flaws.

The heroes of this movie are criminals, but they are depicted in such a way that you tend to have a lot of sympathy for them. It is telling that the high point of the movie isn't the heist but a talent show in which Jimmy's daughter sings a heartfelt song, and the crowd, carried away on a wave of emotion, sings right along with her.

The warden of the prison, who won't admit there was a possibility some of his prisoners might have escaped, and Special Agent Sarah Grayson (Hilary Swank of “Amelia”) who is angry at her inability to lock up the thieves, are among those who are victims in the heist pulled off by Jimmy, Joe Bang and their families. Everyone underestimates them, and they pay the price for their hubris (similar to how the elites underestimated Donald Trump and his loyal voters).

This is an easygoing, well-directed, comic romp with a lot of good old boys, and girls, working against some sophisticated and powerful forces. It has its funny moments, and some nice moments of irony, too. This film rates a C+.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

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Copyright © 2017 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.
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Robert Roten can be reached via e-mail at my last name at lariat dot org. [Mailer button: image of letter and envelope]

(If you e-mail me with a question about this or any other movie or review, please mention the name of the movie you are asking the question about, otherwise I may have no way of knowing which film you are referring to)