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EL SEGUNDO HERALD October 5, 2017 Page 7
Entertainment
Film Review Check It Out
Bittersweet Drama Lucky is Harry
Dean Stanton’s Swan Song
By Morgan Rojas
for www.cinemacy.com
On September 15, the film industry lost
one of its shining stars. Harry Dean Stanton,
best known for his roles in Paris, Texas
and Alien, had passed away at the age of
91. The news shook everyone who admired
the character actor’s impressive repertoire
and many talents (he was also a reputable
musician and singer). His final starring role
in a film, Lucky, is appropriately titled as we
truly are lucky to see Stanton in a role as a
man who, ironically, questions permanence
and the mystery of death.
Stanton plays Lucky, a retired Navy veteran,
atheist and all-around crabby senior citizen.
He lives alone in an unspecified pioneer-like
desert town, passing his days by sticking to
a routine of light exercise, trying his hand
at a crossword puzzle at the local diner,
and watching game shows. Everyone in the
town is on a first-name basis with Lucky,
whose cranky demeanor doesn’t stop them
from initiating conversations like how his
morning is going or how he should quit his
pack-a-day smoking habit.
A health scare draws Lucky into an even
more introspective state when he is forced
to face his impending mortality. He is getting
older, his gaunt face and fragile bones
showing a life slowing down but well-lived.
His conversations with friends Paulie (James
Darren), Elaine (Beth Grant) and Howard
(David Lynch) become more philosophical.
Lucky talks about the difference between being
lonely and being alone. Paulie talks about
his special relationship with Elaine. Howard
imparts wisdom after the disappearance of
his tortoise, President Roosevelt: “Think of
the burden a tortoise carries on his back. Yes,
[his shell] is for protection, but ultimately
it’s the coffin he’s going to get buried in.
And he has to drag it around his entire life.”
Recent events certainly may have affected
John Carroll Lynch’s directorial debut. While
it may be a bit morbid to admit, the death
of Stanton makes the film feel even more
special. It is such a poignant piece of work
that embodies spiritualism and realism with
great empathy. The cast, which includes Ron
Livingston as Bobby Lawrence, is phenomenal.
They might as well be directly talking
to the audience when they give life advice to
Lucky--sharing wisdom that offers a sense
of security and trust.
The film may take place in a stuffy desert
town, but the vibe is far from suffocating.
Actor/turned director John Carroll Lynch
gives the characters room to breathe with fluid
dialogue and subtle movements that complement
the environment. There are things in
this universe that are bigger than us, Lucky
so calmly recites, and this film is a gentle
reminder of this. Meditative and self-reflective,
Lucky is a touching posthumous tribute to
Stanton. In the film, he says he smiles at the
impermanence of life. Wherever he is now,
I hope he is still smiling.
Lucky is not rated. 88 minutes. Now playing
at The Landmark. •
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Harry Dean Stanton in Lucky. Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Author Spotlight:
Fiction Novelist Alice Hoffman
Reviewed by Kristina Kora-Beckman,
Librarian I, El Segundo Public Library
Fiction novelist Alice Hoffman is known
for her works that immerse readers into a
different world, be it 70 CE Judea, 1800s St.
Thomas or 1960s New York City. Magical
realism is another hallmark of many of her
books, such as Practical Magic, and the
upcoming prequel, Rules of Magic, where
the supernatural is woven into the stories
and characters’ lives.
My favorite of Hoffman’s titles are The Red
Garden and Blackbird House. Both novels
are structured as interconnected narratives
centered in a physical place--a garden in
small town Blackwell, Massachusetts where
only red plants grow…and a small farmhouse
on the outer reaches of Cape Cod. The web
of tales traces the lives of various occupants
throughout hundreds of years, chronicling
relationships, dramas, secrets and betrayals.
This format lends a gravity to the places,
which have greater permanence, than the
comparatively short human lives that intersect
the place over time. But Hoffman’s characters
are what really shine. They are multifaceted
and memorable, and their struggles and
triumphs leave a lasting impression.
To check out or browse Hoffman’s fiction
titles, please visit the library to apply for
your free library card. For more information
about library events, including author talks,
stop by the Reference Desk or check out
our Facebook page for more details (https://
www.facebook.com/El-Segundo-Public-
Library-165445079598). •
Kristina Kora-Beckman.
The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman.
Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman.
Visit us online: www.heraldpublications.com
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