LUCKY Review: Percolating With Criminal Tension

Never accept a drink from your lover after you've stolen a large amount of money, but before you've made your getaway. Even if you're Anya Taylor-Joy.

Lucky
The first two episodes in the limited series premiere globally Wednesday, July 15, only on Apple TV. Subsequent episodes will premiere every Wednesday. I've seen all seven episodes.

The opening moments reveal Anya Taylor-Joy, called Lucky, adorned in a Ceasar's casino jacket, on the run from the FBI. The next moment winds the clock back to show a Las Vegas night that Lucky spent with her lover, which was meant to end with them both flying out of the country in the morning, along with a huge suitcase, spilling over with bundles of cash, ahead of anyone learning about what happened.

The next day, Lucky awakens late, only to discover that the cash is gone, and so is the boyfriend. Entering the casino is a large contingent of armed authorities, led by the FBI. Obviously, Lucky must go on the run.

From there, the first two episodes of the series, created by Jonathan Tropper, based on a novel by Marissa Stapley, clarify the situation. It's not just that Lucky's boyfriend split on her, it's that it was her beloved husband, Cary (Drew Starkey). It's not just that the FBI that is after her, it's that lead Agent Rand (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) appears to have a personal stake in her relentless pursuit.

Equally relentless in her pursuit is crime boss Priscilla (Annette Bening) and her trusty lieutenant Dutch (Clifton Collins Jr.), who really, really want the money. And what does Lucky's imprisoned father, John Armstrong (Timothy Olyphant), who seems to know everyone involved, have to do with it all?

Creator Jonathan Tropper is an experienced hand at structuring dramatic series in different environments with a criminal bent, be it modern wealthy suburbia in Your Friends & Neighbors, late 19th century San Francisco Chinatown in Warrior, or Amish country-adjacent Pennsylvania in Banshee. Here, he applies his expertise to a series that leans heavily into a series of inescapable mystery boxes that the protagonist, Lucky, must somehow escape, which works extremely well in an episodic series.

Each episode moves steadily, leading inevitably to a cliffhanger at its conclusion. Some of the twists are predictable, but a number of others caught me by surprise, in that I had no idea how anything but doom could possibly follow.

In between all the running, chasing, gunfire, and vehicular mayhem, each episode also pauses for moments of contemplation and/or dramatic exchanges between characters. Each episode also features moments when Lucky recalls memorable moments from the past, which inform the ongoing action.

Anya Taylor-Joy blazes through the series with contained, yet furious intensity. Her character is more wily than she initially appears. Lucky is not merely a survivor or an extremely fit athlete who can run and jump away from any mortal danger with incredible elasticity. (Kudos to the stunt players in the series.) Beyond her physical dexterity, she exudes intelligence in her ability to think on her feet (literally) and plan ahead when things go awry.

Her emotional intelligence is also put to the test. Lucky must recalibrate her relationship with her husband and her father, while also weighing the challenges that are mounted against her by the FBI and dastardly criminal forces.

Annette Bening is another marvel as a cool crime boss. Her character, Priscilla, is more merciless than the ranch boss she essays in the recently concluded Paramount Plus series Dutton Ranch, and she possesses none of the effortless charm she exhibited in that show. She is so cold that ice seems to form around her, yet that does not mean she is entirely without emotion for anyone who means something to her.

As her #2, Clifton Collins Jr. wields an equally dangerous bent toward violence against those who oppose him or his boss. Later, William Fichtner provides another degree of peril when his character is introduced.

The always charming Timothy Olyphant is a lovable rogue as Lucky's father, which only serves as a masquerade for his nerves of steel. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor remains a coiled ball of energy, eager to put criminals down, especially those who have eluded her grasp in the past.

The series always leans forward with constantly percolating momentum. That, and the top-flight performances led by Anya Taylor-Joy, make for a highly-watchable and enjoyable series.

Now Streaming celebrates independent and international genre films and television shows that are newly available on legal streaming services.