Lucky * * * *

   Lucky is a good film that has received the accolades of a brilliant film.  I can’t help but wonder if this  is more of a sentimental reaction to the death of lead actor Harry Dean Stanton, than the brilliance of the film.  We’ll never know, but I’d say under other circumstances this would not be receiving the gushing reviews it has enjoyed.

      It’s exploration of the mind and attitude of an old man on death’s door step, makes its subject matter very welcome and shows that cinema has more to celebrate than youth and beauty - neither of which feature much in this film.

Harry as Lucky, makes Lucky lucky.

         The great Harry Dean Stanton plays Lucky, a man who lives in a small Texas town.  He is pretty good for his age. We learn he served in WWII, so he’s got to be in his nineties.  He’s a bit of a loner, but he enjoys visiting his regular diner, convenience store and bar in the evening where he has a testing relationship with the proprietors.  He does crosswords  and watches game shows on television.

        It’s a dialogue driven film with Lucky giving his opinion on most things.  He doesn’t give tirades, he just shares his impatient opinion which is a mixture of idiocy and insightfulness.

        Lucky has an enveloping atmosphere that draws you in.  From his tiny house to his habitual days you become part of his world. For an old man he is healthy even though he smokes a pack or two a day. But one day he collapses, yet he bounces his back - again. But it is as though, being horizontal for a while reminds him that he is not far away from being horizontal for a long while.

There are some charming incidents - Lucky singing at a child’s birthday party being paramount - but no real dilemma to be overcome in Lucky other than his barfly friend who has lost his tortoise: It’s loss causes much speculation over the habits and longevity of tortoises - all rather symbolic.

           It’s a gentle film with dry humour. A superb swansong from Stanton, so good I’ll give it five stars (see how easily I could have done that?). Actually it’s good enough for four and I’d happily recommend it.