YNMS: "Logan Lucky"
Tuesday, May 30, 2017 at 8:00AM 
Chris here. Tucked away in late summer is Steven Soderbergh's Soderbergh's official return from cinematic retirement Logan Lucky. Why is this return so quiet with little fanfare? Well, probably because we always knew that retirement wasn't going to last long anyway - and maybe if Soderbergh is back, he'll stay low-key.
However, from the looks of the first trailer, Logan Lucky will be anything but a low-key romp. Soderbergh is back to the ensemble heist capers he turned into big hits with the Ocean's films, this time even more broadly idiosyncratic and silly. This film's heist seeks to pull one over on NASCAR, with the lovable thieves a set of goofy oddballs that sound more at home in the land of Coens than Soderbergh. Take a look at the first trailer, and we'll discuss the Yes No Maybe So after the jump...
YES
- This cast! It may not be Ocean's-level wattage, but everyone looks smartly used to maximum comic effect. Even the inclusion of Katie Holmes as a straight shooter is welcome here. Hilary Swank as a self-serious villain? Genius!
- The ascension of Riley Keough. She's been building a profile including brilliant work last year in American Honey, and she promises to become a major talent. That hot pink jacket!
- It's not a bad thing to get so much of a Coens vibe, but Soderbergh's visual wit speaks for itself here.
- The actual heist doesn't look all that convoluted or twisty. The marketing may be relying on Ocean's cache, but it looks significantly different all around.
- When is the last time Daniel Craig got to have fun? Looks like he's having a ball...
NO
- ... but that bleached look is terrifying!
- Everything I said about the ensemble? I had momentary amnesia about Seth MacFarlane.
- How obvious will the flyover state satire be? Let's hope it doesn't go for the easy hillbilly jokes.
MAYBE SO
- This is opening during the usual August doldrums? Looks like this will land right when we need it.
- Can they take down NASCAR completely, and not just one stadium? Pretty please?
- Even less substantial Soderbergh films have their small delights. If this end of being far from his best, something special is bound to pop.
I am emphatic YES on this, but tell us what you think in the comments!
Reader Comments (15)
I'd see it for Tatum and Swank but not for someone who has had too many doors opened too easily,i feel for actors treading the boards waiting for their time and seeing everyones chum,daughter or son get high profile roles based on where they came from and not hard work proving themselves.
Absolutely YES.
Bleached-blond Craig needs to do a Putin satire biopic ASAP.
Lmao they give Craig an "introducing" credit
Yes but not must see
I'm kind of a NO. Three reasons:
1. Daniel Craig's camp affectation. Even if the character is supposed to be straight, that's still probably going to get irritating.
2. There's no (real) hook. I could get this being an up and coming director's up and coming first heist movie, but this is the FIFTH Soderbergh Heist film and the only reason I could imagine he'd take this (based on the trailer) is that he has actual HATRED, not just apathy, toward NASCAR. Unless you share Soderbergh's likely viewpoint (I'm apathetic toward NASCAR, so this does nothing for me), what's going to be here? Anything, or is most of the prospective audience for "small heist movie counter-programming" going to have been better off having gone to Baby Driver?
3. Even beyond Craig, the trailer paints the picture that every character is going to be one note quirky. Good quirky (like the Coen Brothers at their best) gives more, and unusual, dimension. Bad quirky sucks away dimension and interest.
I'm dubious. It looks like the Coen Brothers' cold leftovers, and the "southern accent = automatically funny" detail feels terribly old hat. The cast alone will get me to see this but this trailer lowered my expectations. Like, a lot.
YES!!!!! Welcome back Steven Soderbergh.
"Steven Soderbergh's Soderbergh's official return from cinematic retirement" Does anybody still believe this s***? I mean... the guy is annoucing his retirement since Traffic. LOL.
I get the sense the female roles will be brief and slight..
I say Yes. I love Riley Keough and it is a relief to see Daniel Craig having a ball here. Maybe this could open up a new comedic chapter in his career. The rest of the cast is great as well. They even have Jim O'Heir, aka Gerry from Parks and Recreation. I'm down for this.
Yes! I love ensemble pieces, I love Soderbergh, and I love NASCAR. So that's a trifecta for me.
I am almost positive they won't bash NASCAR. Not only is it being done with NASCAR's approval, there are a bunch of drivers that make cameos in the movie.
I'm optimistic.
Yes it looks funny and I like the facial hair on Mr Tatum
"With Academy Award Winner Hilary Swank" (and her one appearance/line in the entire trailer) made me LOL. Something tells me that Andy Garcia in Ocean's 11 this ain't.
Wasn't Katherine Heigl supposed to be in this?
as Broad as Shelley Winters.
It's a YES.
Hey, at least each woman gets to say 1 whole line in the trailer! (/sarcasm)
I'm a Maybe.