Luck marks the first feature-length film from the burgeoning Skydance Animation, the studio where Pixar founder John Lasseter found refuge after his abrupt dismissal from Disney. With so many classics under his belt, it begs the question: will luck be on his side to help him recreate the magic at this new animation house?
Luck follows Sam Greenfield (Eva Noblezada), an orphan who’s never had an ounce of luck in her life; every time she was about to be adopted, it just didn’t work out. Now 18 and aged out of the system, she’s on her own. Yet, her string of bad luck persists after she feeds a black cat and finds a penny, which she plans to give to her friend Hazel (Adelynn Spoon), a young orphan who has a collection of lucky charms, in the hope that it will improve her luck and land her in a loving adoptive home.
To her surprise, Sam finds that the penny has improved her fortune. However, in typical Sam fashion, she loses the penny as quickly as she found it, and the black cat reappears, scolding her for her mistake. The talking cat, Bob (Simon Pegg), reveals that the penny came from the Land of Luck, a place where mystical creatures create good luck for humans. Together, they enter a magical portal with the aim of retrieving another lucky penny for Hazel and perhaps changing Sam’s luck for good.
Luck feels like it’s borrowing from the old Pixar playbook with its ‘What if?’ storytelling approach: What if luck was manufactured by magical creatures in a factory? This concept feels derivative, mixing elements from the mind world from Inside Out with the scare floor from Monsters, Inc. The film bombards the viewer with as many luck-related references and Easter eggs as possible: leprechauns, unicorns, black cats, dragons, pennies, goblins, roots, and goats. However, these concepts the lack cohesion needed to make for a compelling film.
The animation and character design in Luck are par for the course, embodying a look reminiscent of Disney/Pixar-ish, which has become the standard style for most animated films by now. Sam’s voice acting, delivered by Eva Noblezada, is chipper with a pleasant Barbie-like quality. The Scottish accent of the Bob the cat, voiced by Simon Pegg, adds a layer of humor to the film, which is missed once his voice changes later on. In a movie about luck, it’s noteworthy that Pixar’s lucky charm, John Ratzenberger, was brought on to voice Rootie, a root monster who runs a tiki bar, in perhaps was an attempt to have his luck rub off on this production.
A big problem from the outset is Luck‘s slow pace. The film spends an excessive amount of time introducing the audience to Sam’s life, woes, and troubles before the inciting incident that ultimately leads her to the Land of Luck. Paradoxically, despite the languid opening, there’s hardly any moments for reflection because the characters never stop talking. The relentless dialogue, with Sam explaining every detail of her thoughts and actions, kills the momentum.
Despite her unfortunate circumstance of never being adopted, Sam remains an overly optimistic and altruistic girl. Every action she takes is aimed at securing some luck for her friend Hazel to get adopted, a chance that she never had herself. However, it’s hard to feel connected to Sam because she comes across as emotionally flat. Her almost robotic resilience in ignoring her misfortunes, while admirable in real life, makes it difficult for moviegoers to empathize with her struggles. There are many notable characters in animation who sacrifice their own hopes and dreams to help others (Mrs. Brisby, Balto, Baloo), but Sam’s relentless pursuit of the penny would have been more impactful if there were a moment of vulnerability where her cheerful facade cracks, perhaps seeing her break down in tears after turning 18, overwhelmed by the realization that her dream of an adopted family will never come true.
Luck is a fascinating and elusive concept, and the filmmakers could have explored many of these aspects in the film. However, the message of Luck boils luck down to being merely random and out of one’s control. This portrayal feels disempowering, as it strips individuals of their agency, casting them as victims of circumstance rather than masters of their fate.
Luck would have had a stronger, more empowering message if Sam’s initial flaw had been her false belief that luck is out of your control. By the end, her perspective could have been transformed, teaching her that that she can create her own luck and control her own destiny despite her unfortunate past.
Overall, Luck attempts to strike it lucky, but ends up more like a four-leaf clover in a field of weeds—too much setup, muddled concepts, and not enough magic. Like a penny tossed into a fountain, this one will be forgotten and lost as soon as it hits our screens.
You can stream Luck exclusively on Apple TV+ on August 5, 2022.
★★1/2
Check our our full podcast review of Luck on the Animation Addicts Podcast.
