Actress Anya Taylor-Joy takes centre stage in the new Apple TV+ thriller, 'Lucky', portraying a quick-witted con artist caught in a perilous double bind. The seven-part series, which debuted its first two episodes on 15 July, plunges viewers immediately into a high-stakes chase after Lucky's husband, Cary (Drew Starkey), disappears with millions in stolen cash, leaving her to face the consequences.
Penned by Jonathan Tropper, known for 'Your Friends & Neighbors', 'Lucky' opens with a breathless sequence as Taylor-Joy's character navigates the surveillance-heavy environment of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, with the FBI in hot pursuit. Her resourcefulness, including a crucial costume change, allows her to evade initial capture, setting the tone for a series packed with twists and turns.
The narrative quickly establishes that Lucky is not just fleeing law enforcement, embodied by the relentless FBI agent Billie Rand (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), but also a far more dangerous adversary: Cary's mother, Priscilla (Annette Bening). Priscilla is a key figure in the formidable crime syndicate from which the millions were stolen, a much larger operation than Lucky, the daughter of a small-time conman (Timothy Olyphant), is accustomed to.
Adapted from Marissa Stapley's bestselling novel, the series features compelling female characters, even when it occasionally leans into genre clichés, particularly during flashback sequences detailing Lucky's upbringing. Ellis-Taylor delivers a convincing performance as the determined yet weary FBI agent, while Bening's portrayal of the mob matriarch offers a nuanced blend of terror and unexpected vulnerability.
With the initial episodes now available, Apple TV+ plans to release the remaining five instalments weekly. The series maintains a constant sense of threat and boasts a clever overarching plot, promising to keep audiences engaged as Lucky attempts to appease Priscilla and escape Agent Rand's clutches. Despite some moments that critics have described as convoluted, the show is designed to keep viewers guessing about Lucky's ultimate fate.