This was a show I had to check out on Apple TV+ because I am a sucker for heists and Anya Taylor-Joy. Written by Jonathan Tropper and Cassie Pappas and based on Marissa Stapley’s bestselling novel, Lucky centers on a young woman, Luciana “Lucky” Armstrong (Taylor-Joy), who left behind the life of crime she was raised in years ago. Now, she must embrace her darker, criminal side one final time in a desperate attempt to escape her past. Think X-Men or Deadpool 2’s Domino, but less guns.
Coming from someone who has never read Stapley’s book, the story of Lucky was an enthralling ride. Everyone who loves a good cat-and-mouse, Bonnie and Clyde chase thriller will get hooked from Lucky episode one. Without giving away too much, I found the heist element of this show was lacking—in terms of feeling fully satisfied. Even the Fast & Furious movies execute this aspect in the most exciting, but outlandish, of ways.
The acting across the board was amazing: Taylor-Joy, Annette Bening, Timothy Olyphant, Clifton Collins Jr., Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Drew Starkey, William Fichtner, and everyone in between. Lucky casting director Jeanie Bacharach found great matches in every relationship among this cast. Taylor-Joy and Olyphant as this daughter-father duo worked really well because they each bring their unique charms, whether you loved them in The Queen’s Gambit or Santa Clarita Diet. These two play Lucky and John Armstrong, both believable as family members but also as two swindlers trying to navigate their entangled worlds.
One of the more specific examples of the worldbuilding working for Lucky and John’s relationship was how they had shared names of the cons they did when they were both younger. It was almost like Thor and Loki in Thor: Ragnarok talking about their bit called, ‘Send Help.’ It is these small inside jokes that sell family dynamics, even if these actors are not actually related.
“Everyone who loves a good cat-and-mouse, Bonnie and Clyde chase thriller will get hooked from Lucky episode one.”
Bening and Collins Jr. sold themselves as admirable villains, fearsome yet reasonable in explaining why they are the way they are. Ellis-Taylor brought some nuance to the classic cop or federal agent, trying to chase down their criminal nemesis and ending up in the deep end. Her role as Agent Billie Rand was both compelling and funny to watch, especially because she was able to see things others would miss.
For example, there could be four plates on a drying rack, but there were only three people reported to be in the house. This is also hilarious because only a plot-protected detective/agent would be able to assume that a fourth person was in the house based on this detail. It could be possible that one person ate two meals that day, but no, the show played into the keen-eyed federal agent focus.
I thoroughly appreciated how much Lucky explored the minds of con artists and what I would deem as small-time criminals. While I do think the protagonist got lucky to get out of certain sticky situations, she would not earn her name. I think what worked with the lucky element of the show was how it found a balance and reason for specific events playing out the way they did. In a way, con artists make their own luck. However, luck always runs out when it comes to tricking good, innocent bystanders.
The themes on parenthood and raising children into a life of crime were also cool to explore. Olyphant and Bening sold the idea of how they each had unique parenting styles, as both of them raised them either into or around the criminal underworld. While I would not recommend anyone to encourage their kids to commit crimes, this series showed the heart behind certain criminal intent and environments. This could relate to the whole nature versus nurture argument, and how children do not have to be defined by their parents.
Lucky is by no means the best mystery-heist-thriller I have seen, but it was solid. The acting was emotional and believable for their line of work. The writing can be predictable at times, but it is totally worth seeing how this wild goose chase concludes. With only seven episodes and a two-episode premiere, it is an easily digestible show. As some of these episodes end on cliffhangers or major story-beat drops, the week-to-week release format should work well for the next six weeks. Personally, I like to binge-watch most series, so I wouldn’t think it’s a crazy idea to release every episode in August if you dislike the weekly suspense.
