The Apple TV+ thriller "Lucky" has garnered a four-star review, with critics highlighting its energetic pace and its skillful homage to classic mob and heist films. The film, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, is described as a "rollercoaster thriller" that delivers a "joyful homage to all the best Mob movies."
From its opening scenes, which feature the protagonist Anya Taylor-Joy evading bullets amidst a maze of trucks, "Lucky" establishes a tone of breathless pursuit. Reviewers noted that nearly every scene and shot appears to draw inspiration from iconic cinematic moments. For example, a sequence set in a Las Vegas gaming room, featuring Taylor-Joy and her husband Cary (Drew Starkey), is reminiscent of the Robert De Niro film "Casino." Another moment, where a tortoise under a cactus is observed during a tense desert drive, echoes a visual motif from "Breaking Bad."
The film's visual and narrative elements are a blend of familiar tropes, evoking comparisons to the works of Elmore Leonard and Quentin Tarantino, as well as television series like "The Sopranos" and heist films such as "Ocean's Eleven."
Taylor-Joy portrays Anya, a con artist on the run from both the FBI and the Mob. Her father, played by Timothy Olyphant, is incarcerated and encourages her risky behavior. Anya and Cary steal $10 million, but after a night of partying in Las Vegas, Anya awakens to find Cary and the money gone, with FBI Agent Rand (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) arriving on the scene.
While "Lucky" may not break new ground in terms of originality, its effectiveness lies in its execution of established genre conventions, offering viewers a familiar yet exhilarating escape.