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 her-self 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.
In Chinese with English subtitles
“A heist movie like this shouldn't exist. But thank god it does.” - VICE
“A crowd-pleaser with a slyly magnetic lead performance” – The Hollywood Reporter
"An electrifying Tsai Chin deals a cool hand in this sharp, screwy black comedy” – Slash Film
Music Box Theatre screens films of all genres and from every era of cinema, both new releases and repertory. These films may sometimes contain upsetting, outdated, or offensive material. While we aim to introduce many of our screenings, we do not always provide warnings about potentially triggering content within the films we screen. We encourage our patrons to research the film before they attend using trailers, reviews, or content information found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com.
Now Showing
September 9 – September 16 / View All
NOIR CITY: Chicago 2026
The Late Show
Indoor Kids: Family-Friendly Matinees
Merciless Mayhem: Martial Arts Midnights, Matinees, & More!
The Chicago Film Society Presents