Movie: Lucky

Having outdrank, outsmoked, and outlived all of his contemporaries in his off-the-map desert town, fiercely independent 90-year-old atheist Lucky (the late Harry Dean Stanton in his final role) finds himself unexpectedly thrust into a late-in-life journey of self exploration.

Living alone in the blistering Arizona heat, he slopes along through life, occupying his time by walking around the dusty streets of his speck of a southwestern town.  Lucky whiles away his time in a fixed routine that starts with yoga at home and breakfast at a diner, moves on to crossword puzzles and TV shows, and ends in a bar among life-worn regulars.  (One of them, played by David Lynch, is grieving over the loss of his pet tortoise.)

It’s never clear what Lucky has done with his life, but, with the first sign of failing health, he grows reminiscent, dredging up old regrets in gruffly sentimental monologues.  Lucky makes for an incredible showcase for Stanton’s unique mastery of the wry, cantankerous wisdom that became his trademark.  The film is a cinematic love letter to its legendary leading man, as well as a deeply felt meditation on mortality, loneliness, spirituality, and human connection.

Cert PG  1 hr 28 min  Comedy / Drama

$10.00  Adult, $8.00  Youth, aged under 18 years, $9.00, with Film Buff card. All prices include HST.