Lucky Number Slevin

Rating: 9/10 (2 May 2017)

Because my personality is incredibly rooted in the Type A persuasion and I like to theme my month's viewing schedule, I don't get as much time for rewatches as I would like. When the opportunity arose to include Lucky Number Slevin on one of my monthly lists, I took it. I watched Lucky Number Slevin shortly after its 2006 release and was impressed by it, I was so impressed by it that I introduced it to some friends and family members after my first viewing. It's always interesting to see when 10 years elapses if one still enjoys a film as much as they did soon after its release, all the more reason I'm disappointed I don't have more time for rewatches, alas, there are so many films to see. A star-studded cast including Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, and Ben Kingsley lead an intensely gripping mystery in which every piece of filmed action is pivotal to the story. Paul McGuigan directs an engaging story told in an energetic way creating a story that necessitates watching until the final moment.
While waiting at an airport, a mysterious figure tells a stranger the story of a fixed horse race in the mid-70's that resulted in the deaths of a family. The story is centered around the idea of a Kansas City Shuffle in which attention is drawn to one thing while deceit is happening in the other direction. Meanwhile, present-day the sons of two feuding mob bosses are shot down, as well as two bookies. Happening simultaneously, a young man named Slevin has sought refuge in his friend's apartment after finding out that his girlfriend has cheated on him. Caught immediately in a web of mistaken identity, Slevin realizes he has borrowed the apartment of a friend who owes several powerful people large amounts of money. Acquiescing to the needs of each mob boss in hopes of keeping himself alive, Slevin puts himself into some dangerous situations. The stakes are heightened when Slevin meets and falls in love with a chatty neighbor who works as a coroner. Soon, Slevin is being watched or followed from three different angles leaving the audience to determine what link exists connecting all the pieces.
I was thrilled to learn that this film was every bit as exciting and engrossing as it was the first time I watched it, nearly 10 years ago. There are few things I appreciate more than a story that comes together so seamlessly with every single thing that was filmed having a place in the narrative. Lucky Number Slevin employs a stellar cast to bring together the brilliant story line. Flashbacks were used often in Lucky Number Slevin and were done in a unique and engaging way. Films like Lucky Number Slevin prove that mystery as a genre is alive and well, still maintaining a place in today's cinema.