365. Lucky; movie review

LUCKY
Cert 15
88 mins

BBFC advice: Contains very strong language

I predict that there will be Oscar-nominated performances which will not be as head-turning as Harry Dean Stanton's in Lucky.
Stanton died, aged 91, before John Carroll Lynch's film was released but we should have no sorrow about that. I would be delighted to bow out in my 90s having just completed my best work.
The screen veteran plays the title character - a loner in a small town who is facing the reality of death, simply by dint of his age.
Nevertheless, the hard smoker's daily ritual includes intensive early morning yoga, long walks through the scrub near his home, drinking coffee at the same cafe while filling out crosswords, watching quiz shows at home and hanging out at a local dive bar.
Initially, it appears that Lucky is like any old curmudgeon. He grumps around imparting knowledge that nobody wants to hear and spends much of his time alone.
But gradually layers are peeled away and unexpected depths are found to a man who, despite his outward bravado, is in fear of death.

The backdrop of a tiny American town in the middle of nowhere is perfect for the subject matter. Of course, there are many more old people in big cities but theirs would have been a different story.
Here, Lucky may try to keep himself to himself but his routine means inevitable verbal jousting with the cafe owner (Barry Shabaka Henley) and the bar manager (Beth Grant).
There is also a fabulous ongoing storyline with a fellow elderly bar hugger (David Lynch) who is bereft because his 100-year-old pet tortoise has wandered off.
The latter is a springboard for numerous poignant tangents - including a wonderful one which finds Lucky at a local fiesta.
There was little sign in the first ten minutes or so that this movie would be as incisive as it turned out to be.
As said, Stanton's performance is enthralling. He acts out the superb script of Logan Sparks and Drago Sumonja with incredible verve considering his own health and age and he benefits from the beautifully paced direction of John Carroll Lynch.
The latter has been a familiar face in films for decades but this is his debut feature behind the camera. I really hope it is not his last.

Reasons to watch: A masterly grizzled performance by Harry Dean Stanton
Reasons to avoid: Might not be enough action for some

Laughs: Smiles rather than laughs
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 9/10

Director quote - "It felt like I got to know someone in the script that I had never seen before. Someone who is a holdout in so many ways. Lucky’s lives at the edge of town, and at the edge of mortality - with no fanfare, no huge dramatic events, he confronts his isolation and his connection with eternity."

The big question - Why would anyone live in the middle of nowhere?

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