In the heart of Chinatown, New York, an ornery, chain-smoking, newly widowed 80-year-old grandma (Tsai Chin) is eager to live life as an independent woman, despite the worry of her family. When a local fortune teller (Wai Ching Ho ) predicts a most auspicious day in her future, Grandma decides to head to the casino and goes all in, only to land herself on the wrong side of luck-suddenly attracting the attention of some local gangsters. Desperate to protect herself, Grandma em... (Full plot summary below)
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In the heart of Chinatown, New York, an ornery, chain-smoking, newly widowed 80-year-old grandma (Tsai Chin) is eager to live life as an independent woman, despite the worry of her family. When a local fortune teller (Wai Ching Ho ) predicts a most auspicious day in her future, Grandma decides to head to the casino and goes all in, only to land herself on the wrong side of luck-suddenly attracting the attention of some local gangsters. Desperate to protect herself, Grandma employs the services of a bodyguard (Corey Ha) from a rival gang and soon finds herself in the middle of a Chinatown gang war.
Leave your thoughts about Lucky Grandma.
| SlashfilmHoai-Tran BuiThough the flavors of past genres are present in Lucky Grandma, all those ingredients add up to a truly unique, unforgettable dish that brings a familiar formula to a whole new level. |
| The GuardianEllen E JonesThe result is a film that’s people-pleasing in inverse proportion to its grouchy heroine. |
| Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsAn unusual, agreeable heist picture with just enough feeling behind the style to make it stick, Lucky Grandma rests almost wholly on the withering glances of Tsai Chin. |
| San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen JohnsonLucky Grandma isn’t a feel-good comedy at all, but has a parched-dry dark comic approach, keeping Grandma Wong at an emotional remove. |
| RogerEbert.comMatt FagerholmWhat makes this film special, first and foremost, is the performance by Chin, who has lost none of the acerbic edge she sported as Waverly’s mother in “The Joy Luck Club.” |
| Austin ChronicleRichard WhittakerDeliciously dry and wry, Lucky Grandma invokes unlikely chuckles because Chin embraces her surly nature. |
| The Hollywood ReporterHarry WindsorThe director and her cinematographer Eduardo Enrique Mayén never stray far from their leading lady’s face, and the Tianjin-born Chin delivers a performance of impressive minimalism, one that feels true rather than ingratiating. |
| Film ThreatLorry KiktaIf you’re a fan of comedy, Asian cinema or both, you will almost definitely love this movie. It’s a unique fast-paced film that’ll be sure to entertain even the most persnickety of audiences. |
| New York Magazine (Vulture)Bilge EbiriActress and director build a symphony out of Grandma Wong’s grimaces and her glares. There are emotions in there, but she’s not about to let us get to them, and to her, that easily. And so, we are transfixed. |
| IndieWireJude DryWhile the plot is not overly complex, Lucky Grandma benefits from a compelling array of supplementary characters. |
