In the cutthroat world of cinema, timing is everything. A film's success or failure can often hinge on when it hits the big screen. Lucky Number Slevin, a 2006 crime thriller directed by Paul McGuigan, is a prime example of this truism. Released a full decade after its potential peak, the film failed to garner the same level of acclaim and box office success that might have been possible had it premiered at an earlier date.
The protagonist, Slevin Kelevra (played by Josh Hartnett), finds himself in a series of unfortunate events – losing his job, discovering his girlfriend's infidelity, and being mugged on the streets of Manhattan. His troubles only multiply when he arrives at the apartment owned by his old friend Nick (played by Sam Jaeger), where he is mistaken for the target by goons who work for their employer, known only as "the Boss” (played by Morgan Freeman). To settle his debt, the Boss offers Slevin a task: kill Yitzhok "the Fairy” (played by Michael Rubenfeld), the gay son of the Boss's main rival and Jewish mobster, the Rabbi (played by Ben Kingsley). Complicating matters further, the Rabbi makes a similar offer to Slevin. As Slevin tries to find Nick in order to get himself out of the predicament, he is aided by Lindsey (played by Lucy Liu), friendly neighbour and amateur detective. The whole affair also involves enigmatic hit man Smith (played by Bruce Willis) and police detective Brikowski (played by Stanley Tucci).
Screenwriter Jason Smilovich provided McGuigan with an opportunity to build upon the legacies of two cinematic giants – Alfred Hitchcock and Quentin Tarantino. The film's premise, "the ordinary man in an extraordinary situation," echoes Hitchcock's trademark style, while the eccentric gangsters and convoluted plot owe a debt to Tarantino's signature milieu. A successful film could have been easily interpreted as Tarantinoesque, with critics drawing comparisons to his work.
However, Lucky Number Slevin was released during a time when Tarantino's influence had waned, and the resulting wave of imitators had lost their appeal. Furthermore, despite the presence of esteemed actors like Bruce Willis in a less memorable role, the film fails to capture the distinctive Tarantinoesque flair that might have elevated it above its peers. McGuigan's direction is overly reliant on stylised graphic violence as a substitute for humour, resulting in an unrealistic and illogical narrative.
The cast, though solid, lacks the charisma or chemistry necessary to carry the film. Josh Hartnett struggles to shed his image of the young heartthrob and deliver a more complex performance. Similarly, veterans Morgan Freeman and Ben Kingsley bring their usual gravitas to roles that are ultimately overshadowed by the film's silliness.
McGuigan directs Lucky Number Slevin with an adequate hand, but the result is a film that feels more like a forgettable also-ran rather than a standout of its time.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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