Apple TV’s Luck is about the unluckiest girl in the world, 18-year-old Sam Greenfield (Eva Noblezada). She has just aged out of the girls’ home she grew up in and has to face the outside world for the first time. What could go wrong? Everything.
When talking about her problems to a stray black cat (Simon Pegg), Sam receives a lucky penny and, as precedent dictates, she flushes it down the toilet. Let’s just say the black cat in question is less than thrilled. Cue a journey to the land of luck to retrieve a new magic penny so that Sam can help her friend Hazel (Adelynn Spoon) find her forever home, all while doing her best not to get Bob the cat expelled to the land of bad luck for helping her.
Luck is a story of what luck really means, good or bad. The film also takes a unique turn by having an eighteen-year-old protagonist which, in the scope of children’s animations, makes Sam one of a mere handful of teenager/young adult lead characters. It allows Luck to examine an interesting but underrepresented experience, where people who have barely left their childhood behind are expected to feel and function as adults. More pointedly, it centres the experience of those leaving the care system and their struggles with that transition, which builds mature themes onto Luck’s premise.
Noblezada’s Sam and Pegg’s Bob make a brilliant duo, their contrasting personalities sparking engaging chemistry. The animation also boasts a fantastically talented voice ensemble, including the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Jane Fonda, and Lil Rel Howery. Luck is also visually lush and evocative, building two entire worlds to represent Good and Bad luck that both feel lived-in and complex.
Luck is a film about the perils of endless good luck and the good things that can come from bad luck. It aims to remind its audience that the bad can bring on the good – it can lead to resilience, build the strength to push through obstacles, and exercise one’s ability to adapt. Not only is this a great lesson for young children, but it’s also a worthwhile reminder for the adults watching.
However, it feels wrong not to mention John Lasseter’s involvement in the project; Luck is his first film released since the sexual harassment allegations raised against Lassester came to light. While this is a film made by hundreds of hands and should not be disregarded because of the actions of one man, it is nonetheless vital to recognise that Skydance Animations chose to hire him on this project despite knowledge of said accusations.
Insularly, Luck is a stunning film with an engaging story and relatable characters, bolstered by the acting talents of Eva Noblezada and Simon Pegg; a real crowd-pleasure that is suitable for all ages.
Luck is released on August 5th in cinemas and on Apple TV+.