Veteran character actor Harry Dean Stanton sadly left us in 2017. Be it in the likes of Alien as Nostromo engineer Brett, the detective in Christine, or as the wandering drifter Travis Henderson in Wim Wenders’ classic Paris, Texas, Stanton could always be counted on to add relevance and resonance to every film role he did.
Happily, one year on from his passing, we get a final chance to see a master actor in action in Lucky. The film certainly has won some acclaim and awards recently, with some posthumous nods for Stanton’s performance. Whether or not it will lead to a posthumous Globe or Oscar remains to be seen.
Stanton is the Lucky of the title, a retired Navy officer, living in a rural American small-town. He leads a simple life in the twilight of his existence, doing crosswords at the local diner and watching game shows on his plasma at home. One day, he suddenly falls down at home and discovers during a medical check he is in pretty good health for his age.
He is a cynical type and begins to have all kinds of reflective musings about his place in the universe, not least amongst the locals, including Howard (director David Lynch), whose attachment to his tortoise named Roosevelt heightens when it goes missing. Before long, the locals are taking more than their usual interest in his well-being and a growing bond evolves…
Now, not a lot happens in Lucky, although the possibility of a punch up between Lucky and an insurance salesman hangs over the world at one point, but this is a very theatrical affair, with Stanton front and centre as the curmudgeonly affectionate title character. Alien fans can also get a kick out of a lovely exchange in a diner between Stanton and Dallas himself, Tom Skerritt, as a retired Marine, a reminder of where these actors are in our memories.
David Lynch proves he can act as well as direct with some memorable brief scenes here and the whole thing is held together thanks to John Carroll Lynch’s tight assured direction and a reflective screenplay by Logan Sparks and Drago Sumonja.
Fans of Paris, Texas will certainly feel that Stanton has come back for one final wander. A worthy coda to a great career.
LUCKY / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: JOHN CARROLL LYNCH / SCREENPLAY: LOGAN SPARKS, DRAGO SUMONJA / STARRING: HARRY DEAN STANTON, DAVID LYNCH, RON LIVINGSTON, ED BEGLEY JR, TOM SKERRITT / RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 14TH
Expected Rating: 7 out of 10
