Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
There is so much to love about Steven Soderbergh‘s Logan Lucky. Armed with a stacked cast, the heist flick adheres to a tried-and-true heist formula, is beautifully directed, and above all, it’s fun. It’s a ridiculous watchable romp, one that keeps you hooked from scene to scene with its deadpan humor and unpredictable twists. While many were (justifiably) taken with Daniel Craig‘s hilarious performance, there is one particularly great comedic turn in this flick – and it’s pulled off by Kylo Ren himself, Adam Driver.
Driver stars as Clyde Logan, a one-armed handed veteran and younger brother of heist-organizer Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum). Clyde is a firm believer in the Logan family curse and an overall do-gooder since his days as a juvenile delinquent ended. While he spends his days shaking up a mean one-handed martini and staying out of trouble, it’s damn near impossible for him to say no to his brother – hence his involvement in the heist. Driver and Tatum’s chemistry is totally unconventional but thoroughly believable, and some of the best scenes in the film happen when it’s just the two of them.
The first time we meet Clyde, he’s tending bar and rattling off every single bad thing that has happened to the Logans as proof of their family curse. Jimmy doesn’t buy it, but the slow conviction with which Driver delivers every single word is so rich it makes you wonder if he could have built an entirely separate career on being a funnyman alone. Sure, he’s a hoot in What If, but his comedic stylings in Logan Lucky have real, calculated depth. I dare you not to laugh when he asks “did you just say ‘cauliflower’ to me?”, nonchalantly throws a Molotov cocktail into a car, or gives a befuddled stare at Craig after his arm is accidentally sucked off mid-heist.
Clyde could easily be played as a ditzy caricature, but instead, Driver brings a quiet dignity to him. The combination of his deadpan reactions and measured West Virginia drawl allow for total hilarity. There’s a fair amount of physical comedy at play throughout the film, and instead of throwing himself into it with a twinkle in his eye like Donald O’Connor, he tackles each scene with such a subdued sense of purpose that it’s impossible not to crack up every single time. The best performances are the kinds that sneak up on you, and the clenched-fist, stony-faced marvel of Driver’s every move will sweep you away before you have a chance to say “cauliflower”.
The film’s affection for characters like Driver’s Clyde is largely why it works; in the hands of someone who depicted the Logans with condescension, we wouldn’t have such an earnestly enjoyable gem. Logan Lucky, a cheerful caper of a film, wastes no time in getting you up close and personal with its kooky characters, and that’s what makes it so irresistible. That we’re blessed with totally unexpected, uproarious performance from Driver is just the cockroach-infested icing on top.
