Lucky # Slevin

This film was a very pleasant surprise. I hardly had any expectations, I don’t like gangster films and and I’m not a fan of Josh Harnett, and even the title wasn’t very appealing. But I ended up having fun from the very first minute. Lucky Number Slevin begins as a very funny crime comedy with a fleeting plot, where everyone behaves very weird, which I thought was fine since comedies can push the boundaries between logic and stupid behaviour as they see fit. I was very surprised when things got serious in the last half hour, the story becomes rational and the behaviour of the protagonists is explained. Unfortunately, the explanation is quite messy at times, I would have been more satisfied if they’d stuck to the comedy all the way till the end. Regardless, the positive feelings prevail. (08/05/2011)

Lucky Number Slevin's story isn't revolutionary, but what screenwriter and then director Paul McGuigan did with it “is worth taking my hat off to, that is, if I had one on my head." Of course he had the support of outstanding actors: Bruce Willis, Ben Kingsley, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman and, most importantly, the excellent (I'm surprised at myself using the word in context with him) Josh Hartnett (Slevin Kelevra), whom I never really liked. And Bruce in the role of the hitman, Mr. Goodcat, shows that he doesn't belong on the scrapheap, and after Sin City and 16 Blocks, it's another successful notch in his career. So if you want a suspenseful, entertaining, and dark thriller, you shouldn’t miss Slevin. In addition, you will learn a number of interesting lessons from the film. The main lesson that stuck in my head was: Don't wear a towel longer than necessary :) (08/05/2006)

Lucky Number Slevin is black-humor gangster flick that wants to be a Tarantino and/or Ritchie film, but it just does NOT have what it takes because of the immature screenwriter. I’m just surprised that director Paul McGuigan thought it did. After the brilliant Wicker Park, I expected more from him. (11/14/2006)

When the third meaningless murderous scene appeared within the first quarter hour, I started to feel slightly uneasy, and when everything in its ironic spirit led to the same culminating point, I was already almost irritated. But then came what I expected couldn't possibly come. I forgot that Slevin was directed by Paul McGuigan (he definitely wouldn't be pleased to see how many people accuse him of plagiarizing Tarantino), who once played with a confused tangle when he presented me with the excellent film Pushing Tin. And he pulled off something similar here as well when he comes up with a complicated, but brilliantly made gradation that is longer than usual and gives very clear and sufficiently effective answers to all questions. At this moment, I think that the ironic detachment in the first part was actually not so unnecessary because it was balanced by a superb atmosphere and soundtrack right on the border between sarcasm and gangster themes. In the end, just under 80%, absolutely flawless Willis and above-average rest of the cast, along with excellent camera work and McGuigan, whose next work is worth waiting for. (11/28/2006)

The film had a great cast but without much to show for it. The theme was certainly interesting, but the screenplay not so much, plus, I was shaking my head over the overcomplexity of the story, and I could not really relate to any of the characters. Maybe except for Lindsey, who kept showing up from time to time like a charming robot mouse. (04/17/2020)