Lucky Number Sleven
by Jim Walker
(R) 3 Stars Jim Walker Bruce Willis in 'Lucky Number Sleven' People are talking about the new crime drama Lucky Number Sleven in the same breath with Pulp Fiction. This is not a travesty, only an exaggeration. Many of the things that made Pulp Fiction great are present in Lucky Number Sleven. But what made Pulp Fiction memorable — its depth of darkness and mystery — are not here. Instead of taking the kind of chances Pulp Fiction did, Lucky Number Sleven plays it safe. Much of the fun of this movie is undermined by a lame device at the end that tells us everything we need to know, wrapping it all up in a neat little bow that comes out of nowhere. This said, I still recommend Lucky Number Sleven. It’s an enjoyable ride, even if you’re an armchair detective, like me, and you figure out the surprise ending during the first 10 minutes. It’s easier to look past being underestimated by Hollywood (again!) when the actors on the screen are as engaging as Josh Hartnett, Ben Kingsley and Morgan Freeman. Hartnett makes the most of his constant screen presence here, coming across as a taller, darker, more accessible version of Brad Pitt. Kingsley and Freeman play the bad guys who were once partners but now stalk each other from neighboring vintage high-rises. Lucky Number Sleven is a pleasure for the eyes — and I’m not just talking about Harnett and his love interest, played by Lucy Liu. Like Pulp Fiction, every frame is composed with a photographer’s eye. Lucky Number Sleven is always full of color and pattern, giving it an otherworldly surreality perfect for a noir film that happens in broad daylight. A few weeks ago, I assigned a second star to 16 Blocks for the entertainment value of the porn mustache Bruce Willis had glued to his face. Watch for Willis back in the ’stache in Lucky Number Sleven. His appearance drew belly laughs from more than just me in the audience. But, this time, I don’t need to dole out a mustache star. Lucky Number Sleven, despite its problems, earned these on its own.
