While Anya Taylor-Joy’s film output has been, at least recently, a series of curios—think “The Gorge,” mindless but not exactly memorable—she still retains the title of prestige miniseries lead. Completing an odd trifecta after 2017’s “The Miniaturist” and 2020’s smash “The Queen’s Gambit,” her newest, “Lucky,” arrives with at least some expectations attached. While it may not hit the dizzying heights of the previous two, “Lucky” is nevertheless a propulsive, mildly ridiculous ride through the rich and cloistered criminal underworld.
Adapted from Marissa Stapley’s 2021 novel of the same name and created by growing in-house Apple TV+ writer Jonathan Tropper (“Your Friends & Neighbors”), it’s a genre exercise that almost entirely coasts on frenetic pacing and the charisma of its lead actress. Throw in supporting turns by Timothy Olyphant, essentially doing his shtick, and Annette Bening, playing against type as a mob boss whose maternalism has all but evaporated, and you can find plenty of worse ways to spend six or so hours this summer.
The show begins as Lucky and her husband, Cary (Drew Starkey), are celebrating at Caesars Palace. After having just ripped off Bening’s Priscilla for $10 million, they are enjoying one last night before starting a new life overseas with the money. Of course, as these things go, Cary betrays Lucky, leaving her without the cash and on the run not only from Priscilla, but also from the FBI, led by Agent Billie Rand (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor). From there, the series, frankly, moves quickly, tracking Lucky’s desperate attempts to find Cary and recover the money before Priscilla kills her or the FBI arrests her.
It’s an excuse for prolonged set pieces, including a riveting escape from Caesar’s that dominates the first episode and a car chase in episode four. While many of these characters play archetypes, Tropper has nevertheless found the perfect fit for each one. The great character actor William Fichtner plays Priscilla’s boss, Whittaker, an almost Zen-like figure who is only concerned with recovering his money. Clifton Collins Jr. plays Priscilla’s right-hand man, Dutch, a lethal killer. Everything here can be found in other, probably better shows, but the degree of execution makes “Lucky” stand out. There’s no hint of subtext or thematic interest; it’s just a ride from start to finish. Even the Fiona Apple-penned theme song, in which she sings about being “born in the arms of a bull,” lays out the narrative in pretty explicit ways.
At the center is Taylor-Joy, who is asked to run, fight, hide, steal, seduce, and do everything in between. It’s a performance that allows her maximum range. There’s not a single episode in which she isn’t covered in blood, having to switch outfits, or pickpocketing a bunch of rich moms at a birthday party. She takes what could be a one-note character and transforms Lucky into a complex figure grappling with her husband’s betrayal and the expectations of her imprisoned father, John (Olyphant), who sees the money as a way out.
If there’s a misstep here, it’s in the psychological explanation for Lucky and John’s relationship. Imprisoned for much of the show, Olyphant isn’t given much to do outside of offering Lucky encouragement whenever she calls. Yet, while the ham-fisted flashbacks to her childhood may help explain how Lucky became so good at ripping people off, they feel unnecessary for what is, at its core, a lean and mean chase story. Moreover, while streamers seem to be moving further away from the binge model, “Lucky” is one of the rare shows that would actually benefit from an all-at-once drop, as the episodes tend to bleed together, creating a consistent narrative, if not an episodic one.
All of this leads to a definitive ending with a shootout, double-crosses you can see coming several episodes earlier, and enough satisfaction to make you think, “Yeah, that was pretty good.” While “Lucky” probably will not end up in the pantheon of great miniseries—and is definitely the third-best one Taylor-Joy has starred in—it is nevertheless a pretty rollicking ride and the perfect summer binge. [B]
