Lucky Grandma

2020 • 87 minutes

About this movie

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 from a rival gang (Corey Ha) and soon finds herself right in the middle of a Chinatown gang war. Director Sasie Sealy brings to life a dark comedy about immigrant life, the vulnerabilities of aging and an unexpected friendship. Set in alleyways underground mahjong parlors with a cast of richly drawn characters (including Taiwanese movie star Corey Ha) Lucky Grandma is a love letter to Chinatown and an homage to all the badass elderly women who inhabit it.

Ratings and reviews

Absolutely hilarious, this quirky gem was an unexpected surprise in the best possible way. A consistently unpredictable movie, this movie plays like an over-the-hill version of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (2013) type adventure, except as told through the lens of early Wes Anderson and the Coen Brothers. Highly recommended if you're a fan of those directors.

This film is an utter delight and one of the most entertaining films I saw when it first came out at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival in 2019. I am happy to buy this film now to support such fine and hilarious work.

Strong performances all around. A fun romp around Chinatown with Lucky Grandma.