Lucky: Anya Taylor-Joy finally gets the thriller she deserves (review)

Six years after The Queen’s Gambit, the American actress returns with a vengeance in a thrilling and addictive thriller on Apple TV.

After being somewhat eclipsed by the visual excess of Mad Max: Furiosa and the aesthetic madness of George Miller, the excellent Anya Taylor-Joy finally finds a playground to fully express herself.

With Lucky, available today on Apple TV (and via myCANAL in France), the actress regains control of the story in a criminal thriller where everything depends on her charisma.

Adapted from Marissa Stapley’s bestseller by Jonathan Tropper (Warrior, Banshee), the series hits the ground running. Lucky and her husband have just stolen $10 million from the mafia… and the FBI. But their escape is cut short. Hunted from all sides, the young woman has only one obsession: to survive, to find the one she loves and to discover who betrayed them. A simple premise, but formidably effective, which the series exploits with delightful energy.

From its first episode, Lucky leaves no respite and launches its crazy race with a breathtaking first episode, which multiplies the dramatic twists… even if they are sometimes a little crude. Then the cliffhangers, false leads, revelations and changes of perspective follow one another with perfectly oiled mechanics. Jonathan Tropper signs a tense, tight story, which leaves no downtime and feeds the paranoia of its heroine to better ignite its intrigue.

However, Lucky is not content to be a simple game of cat and mouse between a fugitive and her pursuers. Behind its ongoing suspense, the series explores family ties, past hurts and the dangers involved in loving and trusting. By contrasting what we become with what we were destined to be, she brings a welcome emotional depth to a thriller that could have been content to line up the scenes of tension.

But Lucky’s real strength is obviously Anya Taylor-Joy. Fragile, determined, unpredictable, she is a heroine constantly on the edge, capable of going from fear to manipulation. Every scene relies on her magnetic presence, and the actress once again confirms that she possesses this rare blend of vulnerability and power that immediately captivates. After The Lady’s Game, she once again established herself on the small screen.

The first two episodes of Lucky are available from July 15 on Apple TV, with the following episodes broadcast every Wednesday, one episode per week.