LUCKY
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Timothy Olyphant, Annette Bening, Drew Starkey, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Clifton Collins Jr., Mo McRae, and William Fichtner
Creator: Jonathan Tropper
NICK
With its high stakes and strong casting, Lucky is another solid entry into the Apple TV library. Anya Taylor-Joy is given an opportunity for a more grounded performance, and she thrives with it. She’s surrounded by a great supporting cast, including the likes of Timothy Olyphant and Annette Bening, but she remains the key reason this show works. With a focus on different parental relationships woven throughout a fast-paced, seven-episode heist, I was entertained throughout. I know Apple loves extending their limited series, but this is a complete and satisfying story that they don’t need to expand on.
QUENTIN
While Lucky may have been better as a movie, for most of its seven episodes, it’s a fast-paced thriller built on cliffhangers, twists, chases, and devilish charm. Although it certainly has flaws, including a weak villain in Priscilla (Annette Bening) and a very predictable finale despite subverting expectations for most of the season, Taylor-Joy’s layered performance as she outsmarts everyone in the room keeps the viewer enthusiastically entertained and engaged as the story zips along. Granted, I also could have used more Timothy Olyphant (as always), William Fichtner, and Clifton Collins Jr., but to co-opt the famous saying: it’s better to be Lucky than good.
