The director of the film is Paul McMigan. British director of Scottish descent. Known as one of the directors of the film "Sherlock", "Smash", "Victor Frankenstein." The Lucky Number Slevin was filmed in 2005. In terms of tension, acting, and a strong script, the film is one of the most interesting crime thrillers, it is just right to put it on a par with Fight Club, Pulp Fiction, and Bury Bruges. The film has a fairly high IMDb rating of 7.8 out of 10 and 8 out of 10 on Kinopoisk. It is worthwhile to learn more about the plot, reviews about the "Lucky Number of Slevin" and the comments of the audience.
It all started with a horse
The film set was located in Montreal, then in New York. An interesting fact is that during the writing of the script by Jason Smilovich, the actor playing the main character was his neighbor. Thus, a screenwriter often visiting guests repeatedly saw Hartnett wrapped in a towel. It was this kind of actor that prompted the scriptwriter to think about how to make the character as defenseless as possible in scenes with bandits. And, judging by the reviews of the film "Lucky Number Slevin" 2006 release, he succeeded.
The dramatic beginning of the film immediately makes the viewer tense up. Reviews for the film "Lucky Number Slevin" written a lot. And it’s worth watching a movie so that you can write your own review. After the opening credits, a conversation is shown in the empty waiting room. The footage is an illustration of the story of Mr. Gutcat (Bruce Willis), who very dynamically tells the unknown listener the sad story of a family that was killed by bandits as a result. Then follows the incomprehensible, at first glance, death of the listener at the hands of the hero Willis. By the tenth minute you are already clinging to the film tightly. The plot is developing very quickly. Goodcat says, "What is Kansas city shuffle? It's when everyone looks to the right, and you go to the left." These lines will still be found in the film “The Lucky Number of Slevin”. New York, morning, apartment. Slevin (Joshua Hartnett), wrapped in a towel, gazes intently into the mirror for his broken nose. After losing his job, at home and at his girlfriend’s apartment, he certainly did not expect to be at the center of such events.
Plot development
First, a neighbor found him in this form. After accepting Slevin as the owner of the apartment, the members of two warring organized crime groups beat him and set him various tasks, they require a large amount of money. Moreover, to meet with one of the leaders, the Rabbi (Morgan Freeman), Slevin again taken in a long-suffering towel. Finding out that he cannot prove that he is not Nick, Slevin is forced to accept the order to kill the son of the leader of the warring group, the former friend of the Rabbi - Boss (Ben Kingsley). The future victim is Yitzhak, nicknamed the Dove. Slevin has only three days to complete the order. By the way, a little later it turns out that Slevin is just a pawn in the game. He himself is prescribed the role of the victim. As conceived by Goodcat, Slevin should, by his death, illustrate double suicide. Naturally, under such conditions, the main character is simply obliged to find his friend, who could greatly facilitate his life. In this intention, he is supported by Nick's charming neighbor - Lindsay (Lucy Liu).
Lindsey is confident that Nick simply framed Slevin and specially invited him to visit, to impersonate Boss and the Rabbi. In addition to the bandits, the police also pay close attention to Slevin. But, having not really received any results from communication, Slevin is released with a gloomy forecast, they express aloud the confidence that he is doomed.
Tie
And then - the killing of Yitzhak. It didn’t go according to the customer’s plan. That is, it was not Slevin who was killed with Yitzhak, but Nick’s body was attached nearby, who turns out to be the guy in the waiting room that he heard the story of the murder of the family after an accidental win at the hippodrome.
The plot is very interesting, but then it becomes even more dynamic and twisted. The fact is that Slevin is not a random pawn in the game, it is such a puppeteer. It is the sad story of his family that Gutcat tells at the beginning of the airport. The killer felt sorry for the boy. The boy grew up and decided to take revenge on the murderers of his father and mother. This whole complex combination was conceived precisely as revenge. He was considered a loser who was easy to manipulate, while Slevin counted all their steps. He did not become a casual victim, he did not become a victim at all. And about this he told the Rabbi and the Boss. Not for a cup of coffee, but sitting them down, tied to chairs, Slevin tells them what happened in 1979 at the Aqueduct Hippodrome about the seventh horse in the ninth race. Slevin survived, as no killer took to shoot the child. The only one who decided to fulfill the order was Gutcat, but at the last minute he regretted the boy, taking him with him. But the Rabbi and the Boss were sure that no one was left. Recalling the murder of his father and mother, Slevin repeats the scenario of the death of his father. He puts packages on the heads of the bandit leaders and fastens them with tape on the necks of the killers.
Then detectives come back into action. During a telephone conversation, one of them tells the same story in 1979, recalling one strangeness - the same horse that brought misfortune to the family of the protagonist, bore the name "Lucky Number Slevin." That was his last memory. Slevin, hiding in the back seat of his car, kills him. After all, it was this detective who worked for Boss and the Rabbi in 1979; this detective directly killed his mother.
Lindsay, Nick's charming neighbor, nearly died in the whole story, but was warned by Slevin and took precautions. Thus, she remained alive, although, working in the morgue, she had to die at the hands of Gutkat.
Denouement
Based on reviews of the "Lucky Number Slevin," the audience was surprised by the denouement. And here is a happy, seemingly final. Lindsey and Slevin in the waiting room. Gutkat gives his father’s watch to Slevin. In the finale, the old Kansas City Shuffle song is played. She echoes with Slevin's childhood memories, and Gutkat rides in the car. According to the scriptwriter, these lyrics were quoted by Gutkat. “What is Kansas city shuffle?” This is when everyone looks to the right, and you go to the left. ”
Reviews
The film "Lucky Number Slevin" reviews has only positive. The film is powerful, dynamic, not releasing the attention of the viewer, a lot of puzzles and answers throughout the story. I would like to note the fact that, of course, in the process of revenge a large number of people die, but as a result it turns out that there are no accidental victims. Only those who perish as a result of revenge perish.
Actors
A few words about the actors. They are perfect. Wonderfully selected star group. Reviews about the "Lucky Number Slevin", namely about the acting, are only good. Bruce Willis - the well-known "Die Hard", "The Fifth Element", "Pulp Fiction", "12 Monkeys", "Armageddon". Josh Hartnett is an Oscar-winning movie called Pearl Harbor, where he co-starred pilot Danny, the movie Black Hawk, which also received attention and Oscar nominations.
Lucy Lew - Charlie's Angels, Charlie's Angels 2, Kill Bill (both parts), the role of Joan Watson in the TV series Elementary.
Morgan Freeman is an Oscar, Golden Globe, Silver Bear Award winner, Ben Kingsley is an Oscar Award winner, two BAFTA, Grammy, Saturn Award.
Such a composition and a wonderful script, of course, guarantee complete pleasure from watching the "Happy Number of Slevin."