Review of O'Lucky Man (2003) by Graham F — 13 Feb 2009

McDowell is spell-binding as the wandering coffee salesman desperate to 'make it' in the capitalist sense - and is happy to adopt any philosophy on offer to get there. Absurd as his travels are, he is never far from adventure as he encounters a host of interesting and bizarre characters - who in a repertory style are played by a small but fabulous cast of Helen Mirren, Ralph Richardson, Arthur Lowe and more in multiple roles.

Often surreal, at times satirical this allegorical tale penned by McDowell and David Sherwin (If) which nods heavily towards Voltaire's Candide, never fails to entertain and enchant, in no small measure due to the likeability McDowell endows this version of Mick Travis, in what is without doubt the most ambitious of McDowell's 'Mick Travis' trilogy of films with life-long friend and mentor, the late great Lindsay Anderson (the others being If, Britannia Hospital).

The icing on the cake is the superb soundtrack by Alan Price, who features in the film, playing inbetween scenes a la a Greek Chorus, before adding to the surreal atmosphere by turning up in the middle section as a character himself.