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LUCKY (2017)

This paradoxical film definitely altered my perspective on daily life. Life is meant to be a beautiful thing, but not in this case. Elaborating on loneliness and the mundane events in everyday life, you will surely rethink what it means to be alive.

Lucky is a 90-year-old atheist, who ironically, isn't so lucky. Every day, Lucky drinks his glass of milk, does yoga stretches, has a cup of coffee, goes to the local diner and ends his day walking back home from the store with a package of cigarettes. His health is impeccable, but he does not seem to be happy. In reality, he is afraid of living and consistently talks about death. Join Lucky on his journey of trying to attain enlightenment and see if he can live the life he truly desires.

Harry Dean Stanton plays the role of Lucky and successfully portrays an angry, independent old man. Stanton manages to hold a depressed facial expression for the majority of the film. All the town residents try to help him. Yvonne Huff plays Loretta, the waitress at the local diner who empathizes with Lucky the most and drives to his house to check up on him once day. Originally, Lucky is reluctant, but Loretta goes into his house and they watch TV together. Lucky tells her that he's scared of life and they both share a hug before she heads over to the diner for her shift.

The set is incredible. The film is set in a deserted town, so the characters' relationships are very strong. David Lynch, who plays Howard, has a tortoise named President Roosevelt and he is tremendous. I didn't know that tortoises could live for 200 years. It's great to see an animal become so prominent to the residents of the town. My favorite part is when Howard says his tortoise has escaped. Tortoises travel very slowly, so his friends make fun of him by asking if Howard went to Europe in the time being. Seeing this scene made me want to have my own pet tortoise.

The message of this film is to live life however you desire. Life is short, so make sure to make the most of it, even if it means doing the same thing over and over again. I give it 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 16 to 18, since there is drinking, drugs and foul language. Catch this film in theaters September 29, 2017 to find out what it means to be "Lucky."

By Samantha M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 17

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A 90-year-old atheist has outlived and out-smoked his contemporaries, and as he comes to terms with his own mortality, he searches for ever-elusive enlightenment. Directed by John Carroll Lynch; Starring Harry Dean Stanton, David Lynch, Ron Livingston and more.