Last month Harry Dean Stanton died at 91, after a lifetime of cigarettes, high living and supporting roles he managed to turn into leads while no one was looking. He played a mere two actual leads on film: first in director Wim Wenders’ “Paris, Texas,” and now, in his swan song, director John Carroll Lynch’s fond showcase, “Lucky.”
The man with the narrow, gently weather-beaten Modigliani face brought infinite, unspoken personality and soul to every acting assignment. He was interesting doing next to nothing, which is a handy skill for an actor.
In “Lucky” the aura and details of Stanton’s real life informs the fictional life of its title character. Lucky’s a paradox: a sociable loner, a Kentucky native and a WWII Navy vet. He never married and never had kids. Living in an unnamed desert town, Lucky begins his days with a few yoga exercises and a brisk walk to town. Stanton’s gait in “Lucky” is that of a man who appears to be stepping over invisible obstacles, at a brisk clip.
At the local bar he trades philosophy and insults with a local dandy (David Lynch, the director, who worked him with several times); a smoothie who seems more Palm Springs than Middle of Nowhere (James Darren); and the owner, Elaine (Beth Grant), who keeps a sharp eye on Lucky lest he light up a cig inside the bar.
Lucky is starting to falter: After a brief loss of consciousness, he pays a visit to the local doctor (Ed Begley Jr.), who chalks up the incident to a simple case of: “You’re old, and getting older.” The best course of action, he advises, is for Lucky to “clearly examine” his place in life, the inevitable end, and to “accept it.”
Director John Carroll Lynch’s quietly assured directorial feature debut works from a simple, homey script by Logan Sparks and Drago Sumonja, and “Lucky” feels like the work of Stanton’s friends, which it is. At a birthday party, Lucky breaks into a beautiful rendition of a Spanish-language ballad; at the local diner, he mutters friendly barbs to the owner (Barry Shabaka Henley) while avoiding the younger attorney in town (Ron Livingston), who urges Lucky to make out a will while there’s time.
It’s a sardonically comic shamble through one man’s December years, played by an actor who brought some of his own props to the occasion (a photo of Stanton in his WWII Navy garb figures prominently) and all of his own wily craft. The movie’s small, and a little too tidy, but its devotion to ritual and routine nonetheless gives the actors room to maneuver.
MOVIE REVIEW
“Lucky”
Grade: B
Starring Harry Dean Stanton, David Lynch and Ron Livingston. Directed by John Carroll Lynch.
Unrated, but contains some language. Check listings for theaters. 1 hour, 28 minutes.
Bottom line: A sardonically comic shamble through the end of a man's life
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