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 and 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.
With all movie theaters being closed due to the Wuhan COVID-19 pandemic, this film bypassed movie theaters and was released via Kino Marquee “virtual cinemas” supporting independent art houses.
