Logan Lucky (a movie blurt)

This is a heist movie directed by Steve Soderbergh, who also directed the well-known Ocean Trilogy heist films (Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen). Although there’s a formula to this genre, the characters, their situation, and the sprinklings of comedy are ingredients that make each one different. Set in West Virginia and Charlotte, North Carolina, this story is about two down-on-their-luck brothers played by Channing Tatum and Adam Driver. Channing decides to plan a robbery soon after he is let go from his construction job at the Charlotte Motor Speedway because his limp from an old football injury is considered a liability at work. They bring in their hairdresser sister to help. To round out their crew, they recruit an imprisoned explosive expert, Joe Bang, played by Daniel Craig, whose British accent is replaced by a good ‘ole boy twang. As a condition of Joe Bang joining the group, he asks to have his two hilarious hillbilly brothers join the heist team. The film is enjoyable to watch as we see how the colorful characters plot, ply, and plow through such a convoluted, but clever undertaking. Although there are underlying tones of injustice within our society—think haves vs. have-nots mixed in with a bit of Robin Hood–there is nothing preachy about the movie. Just grab a box of popcorn and watch the story unfold amidst the rural settings and classic American stock car action.

The Forger (a movie review)

This is a bittersweet father and son heist film. John Travolta plays an art forger who is imprisoned for four years. To get out sooner, he makes a deal with an outside well-connected criminal, who pays off a crooked judge to release Travolta’s character, Ray Cutter, nine months before he finishes his prison term. Not too much later, the viewer is shown that Ray Cutter has a teenage son, played by Tye Sheridan, who has cancer. Ray’s father, played by Christopher Plummer, has been taking care of Ray’s son while Ray has been in prison. Now that Ray is out of prison, he is indebted to the criminal who arranged for his early release. The payment is for Ray to steal a painting by Claude Monet and replace it with a forgery. Then things start getting interesting. Continue reading