A good heist story is a marvelous thing, with the thrills of seeing an elaborate plan briefly go sideways only to succeed at the very end — the cornerstone of countless compelling shows and movies. There is something almost aspirational about robbing institutions or rich bad guys that makes audiences continue to be interested in the genre. But just as compelling as a heist story are stories about heists gone wrong, and about what happens after the heist. It’s a good hook, which has been explored before in movies like “Reservoir Dogs” or 1968’s “The Split.”
Now, it’s the hook at the center of Apple TV’s latest crime thriller, “Lucky.” Based on The New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Marissa Stapley, the show has a simple story — get the money, run for your life and evade the very dangerous people chasing after you. We follow the titular Lucky (Anya Taylor-Joy), the daughter of a lifelong con artist who taught her to steal, lie and cheat her way through life. When a multimillion-dollar heist goes sideways, Lucky is left without her partner and without the money. What’s worse, she has to run from both the FBI and the ruthless crime boss who she robbed.
Getting the money back is one thing, but what happens after? Does she give it back to try and bargain for her life, or run away with it? Is there even a way out of this life? An excellent Taylor-Joy is joined by co-stars Annette Bening as mob boss Priscilla, Timothy Olyphant as Lucky’s father John, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as FBI agent Rand, Drew Starkey as Lucky’s husband Cary, Clifton Collins, Jr. as the mob enforcer Dutch, and William Fichtner as the enigmatic mob boss Whittaker.
“Lucky” was created by Jonathan Tropper, who is no stranger to stories about con artists and crime lords. The show has less in common with “Warrior” and more with “Banshee,” the thrilling crime show on Cinemax about an ex-con posing as a sheriff to hide from a gangster. Much like that show, the themes of identity, of hiding, and of fixing broken relationships permeate “Lucky.” Whether that is Lucky’s relationship with her husband, who disappears the night after their big heist that was meant to change their lives, or her relationship with her imprisoned dad.
Every episode of “Lucky” peels back the layers of the façade Lucky has created for herself, including flashbacks of her story leading up to the heist that kickstarts the show. We learn about how her father and his former business partner landed in prison, and about Lucky’s childhood constantly doing cons and being on the run. Not only do these flashbacks provide plenty of surprising twists and turns, they do a lot of heavy lifting in building up the characters and the lies they tell each other and even themselves. Everyone in the show is a con artist, no matter their side of the law, everyone puts up a persona and lies and cheats to get what they want, and it is one of the best aspects of “Lucky” to see their true self be unraveled. Take Timothy Olyphant, who does a great job as John, Lucky’s father. We also learn to see him as a skilled thief, but also a bit of a scary criminal, a cunning liar and a vulnerable prisoner, but never two things at a time.
Indeed, this show is an acting tour de force, especially when it comes to Taylor-Joy, who gives a career-best performance as the titular Lucky. Given how much of the show is just her face covering most of the screen, Taylor-Joy carries the story on her shoulders, portraying the desperation, the exhilaration and the cunning that Lucky goes through in the story. If nothing else, “Lucky” more than makes up for the last time Taylor-Joy was a lead in an Apple TV project, and she does a fantastic job carrying the different aspects of her character as the show goes full pedal to the metal.
This is a non-stop thrills show with a fast pace that builds up and up, introducing new complications in every episode while pushing forward momentum. There is a good balance of episodic and serialized storytelling, making this not a 7-hour movie, but a book turned into a TV show, with clear act breaks and a narrative that fits this medium.
Though the pacing is fast, it also allows for moments that slow down and reflect, building up the characters. A highlight is Episode 2 where Lucky hides with a family living in the middle of the desert and bonds with two girls and their grandma, reflecting on her situation and allowing the show to slow down for a moment. That doesn’t mean we lose momentum, as the show constantly cuts away to the FBI agent relentlessly chasing after Lucky. Likewise, Episode 5 features an incredible performance from Annette Bening, as her character goes through a raw and powerful display of grief.
It helps that “Lucky” looks stunning, with Jonathan Van Tulleken (“Shōgun”) directing several episodes. From the use of a wide aspect ratio that gives the show a cinematic look that isolates Lucky in her journey, to dynamic camera movements and some truly exhilarating car chases, this is one of the better-looking shows on Apple TV — which is saying something.
As a miniseries, “Lucky” delivers the goods. The show features a fantastic performance by Anya Taylor-Joy, and tells a thrilling heist story that finds time to say something about family and redemption, about whether people can change despite their upbringing.
“Lucky” is now streaming on Apple TV.