Horst in Translation ([email protected])
"Lucky" is a new American movie mostly in the English language and it premiered back in 2017. Director is John Carroll Lynch and this is actually his first directorial effort. Also the first writing credits for Sparks and Sumonja. You can say about all three, especially Lynch, that they are more known for their acting efforts so far, but taking that into account, this one here is definitely an impressive rookie effort. A lot of that has to do with the fact that lead actor Harry Dean Stanton is the exact opposite of a rookie. He was almost 90 when he appeared in here and may he rest in peace now. A dignified way to end one's career and life we got in these slightly under 1.5 hours. There are definite western elements in this one, but overall yes it is a mix of comedy and drama for sure. A really melancholic movie. The fact that very little happens or I should say very little spectacular happens here makes this a movie that is certainly not for everybody. The dramatic moments include a tortoise leaving its owner, memories from war time half a century ago and an old man falling down without breaking anything. But even if these moments may not appear as significant to those watching, they could hardly be any more significant to the characters in the film. We have many familiar faces in the supporting cast here like Tom Skerritt's impressive one-scene performance or renowned filmmaker David Lynch mourning the loss (not the death) of his beloved animal. It's a very calm, very restrained and yet there is a great deal of heart in it. I thought it was a melancholic watch from start to finish, at times even depressing, but also occasionally a bit uplifting and not on one occasion a bad movie. It is one that will probably not half as seen as it should be and sadly I suspect also one that will be forgotten far more quickly than it should be, but there are moments in it that make the film a bit of a gem, even if these are probably not frequent enough for me to be really enthusiastic about it. Would have been nice to see Stanton finally score an Oscar nomination with his portrayal here, even if he did not live to have witnessed it, but somehow it just shouldn't be. One area where the film delivers really convincingly is the subject of fugaciousness, how nothing is forever, and everything will be gone at one point or another. But luckily, the creators' wits make sure it is not a movie where you will feel really bad leaving the theater, but you will actually feel very impressed, maybe entertained depending on your character. I think this is a really good achievement and a pretty touching film and boy was Stanton even in his old days a good singer. His performance at the boy's birthday party was spot on really. But everybody else in the cast is doing a fine job too. It just fits. You never feel like watching actors, the characters all feel so authentic. Maybe the director missed the right moment to end the film when we see Stanton's character smile in the company of his friends at the bar, but the ending still wasn't bad by any means. Good to see him go out on such a high note and there are more than just a few moments that seem a bit tragic in the face of the actor's actual fate, which makes this film maybe a sadder watch than it was intended to be. But a good one without a doubt. I think you should watch this one. It's really hard not to like.
