IR TV Review: LUCKY - EPISODES 1 & 2 [Apple TV]
The name Lucky has represented many a femme fatale. In this new series from Jonathan Tropper ("Warrior") and a novel by Marissa Stapley, "Lucky" follows Anya Taylor Joy as the title character who gets stuck in a maelstrom of her own doing (and not) which she should have probably see coming. The series tries in its first episode to set up a fateful night in Vegas which seems a little nihilistic anyway. Joy is in her element but the chemistry on the other side is not quite there. Cut to the following morning when everything goes to hell and the chase begins. The whole first episode set in Caesar’s Palace is pretty interesting considering that they were allowed to shoot actually in the casino which is rare. After her stint in "Furiosa", Joy is very adept and up to the physical stuff action wise and the story makes reference to the fact that this girl, who is 90 pounds soaking wet, could stand up to the brutality she undergoes especially at the end of the first episode.
The show is peppered by some great character actors including Timothy Olymphant in a smaller periphery role but Annette Bening as a mother/gangster. Bening is back in true form. This is one of the only recent pieces where you can hear that low voice and focus of Victoria Hill from "Bugsy". And yet there is a certain domination in another way. Clifton Collins Jr. plays an enforcer and once he gets in closer quarters, there is definitely a great volley between him and Taylor. Together they have the right pitch so far by the end of the 2nd episode. The mood is definitely noir and even a little "Wild At Heart" in reverse at times as Joy ends up alone but with one destination in the desert. But the great thing about "Lucky" is we are supposed to be lured into empathizing with her but she likely is an unreliable narrator because everyone says she is great at lying. We also see her lie repeatedly but is she just doing it survive or is it a way of life? It is an interesting question but it does depend what the end point becomes. B+
By Tim Wassberg
