• I laughed at soderbergh’s retirement in 2013. I said then that I thought he’d make another movie because Tarantino—I was wrong. Tarantino released hateful eight in 2015 and we didn’t get logan lucky until 2017. Soderbergh is overrated by some but it’s good to have him back even if it isn’t with a bang—at least it’s with an archiveable film
  • I think Logan lucky is just quality enough to have in the archives which gives him 4 archiveable films this decade—I would put this somewhere above the knick and somewhere below contagion and certainly below previous work like the limey but it’s good to have soderbergh back filling out the back half of the annual archvies and giving us entertaining and brilliantly lit (he’s an undeniably talented DP with a distinctive look) films that seem to fly at us every year with talented casts (he has a knack for discovering talent as well)
  • He’s also frustrating because he might be capable of making better films if he slowed down (on top of working at an incredible pace he is the ghost screenwriter here and his own DP). This is not a perfect film and not just because it’s lightweight subject matter as some critics have noted- there’s a big scene with tatum’s daughter at the beauty pageant that is powerful- but it’s not properly or formally set up. Also, during that scene talented actress riley keough is shown singing along to the music and she’s way off. It’s a mistake and they should’ve done another take. I can’t help but feel that this wouldn’t happen if soderbrgh slowed down a little. Also, he if slowed down enough to light every scene the way he lights some of the tunnel, bar, and gas station sequences the movie would be much stronger
  • The film is still impossibly likeable and a welcomed entry to both the heist film (which soderbergh does well) and oceans eleven (which is, of course, his—or at least the Pitt/Clooney remake is)—this is referenced in the film itself as the “redneck oceans 11” and “ocean’s 7-11”
  • Tatum is perfectly cast and holds it together as a west Virginia blue-collar ringleader
  • It isn’t nearly as strong an achievement but with the brothers pulling off a heist here it’s hard not to think about hell or high water from 2016 as well
  • Like nearly all of Soderbergh’s work it’s shot and editing with panache and pace
  • Love the John Denver “take me home, country roads” usage
  • pushes the limits of being annoying with the Yokels jokes– the “the google” and “the twitter” in thick slow accents
  • Love the t-shirts, Bob Seger, Charlie Daniels Band… fits with the music and themes of these characters- CCR’s “It Ain’t Me” song– great usag
  • It’s a small thing but Soderbergh should’ve done the Driver scene making a martini with one hand in one take instead of chopping it up like he did– I’m sure Driver learned how and it’s just like cutting away when an actor plays piano or dances without showing the feet
  • I absolutely love the first meeting with Driver, Tatum and Daniel Craig- Craig’s grin of disbelieve at their plan of breaking them out is good comedy
  • It’s not Oceans or Traffic with the size of the ensemble but it’s a big cast– some of them work– like Dwight Yoakam– some don’t– like Hilary Swank’s work
  • I’m in love with the trademark Soderbergh golden hue lighting– used a lot in the tunnel (above)
  • Will not be in or near the top 10 of 2017 but in the archives
  • Recommend