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Lucky Numbers (2000)
Rate:
6
Viewed:
10/14
10/14:
I spotted Lucky Numbers on the DVD shelf at the library, but I had never heard of it before.
Made for $65 million but grossed a paltry $10 million, it's easy to see why the film remains obscure. The setting is
interesting as it takes place in Harrisburg, the state capital of Pennsylvania, because the residents around there and
Philadelphia have an obsession with the news reporters, most especially meteorologists.
The Delaware Valley is where Action News-Channel 6 has been entrenched as the number 1 local news station since ever. Let us
not forget to mention the juicy scandal involving Alycia Lane and Larry Mendte. Then, there's the Pennsylvania lottery fix
which occurred in 1980. Back to the film, John Travolta is the star of the show who has the "it" factor. If you listen to
the commentary, everybody was glee about working with him. It's exactly why I gave Lucky Numbers a try.
John Travolta is excellent, making the movie funny. Lisa Kudlow, whom I wasn't initially gaga over,
does a great job of playing the femme fatale which gives the film a certain neo-noir quality at times. The
dialogue is well-written, letting the time fly by fast. Of course, the tractor-trailer was going to jackknife.
The most unbelievable is the casting of Michael Moore. Yes, the same Michael Moore of Roger & Me,
Fahrenheit 9/11, and Bowling for Columbine fame. When I saw his face, I was like, "Is that really him? Michael
Moore?" I couldn't believe my eyes. Anyway, he's good and also funny, playing the best character by far. In
reference to him, John Travolta said the funniest thing I heard in years: "There's enough mist in this thing to save ten
masturbators!" It perfectly sums up Moore's deceased character in one sentence.
As for the negatives, the whole thing is shallow and hard to believe. Everything looks modern. Hence, there's no point in
setting the time to 1989. The outcomes aren't realistic because, sooner or later, the state authorities will be smart enough
to smell the fraud due to the suspicious pattern in the number of winning tickets. As a matter of fact, everybody involved with
the Triple Six Fix case had to serve time in prison. Tim Roth's character is redundant,
having reminded me of Reservoir Dogs
and Pulp Fiction. Bill Pullman's dumb cop skit goes too far to discredit the film and therefore shouldn't be included.
All in all, Lucky Numbers is an uneven comedy picture, but it's fun to watch.