Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Sundance Films: Lucky

Title: Lucky

Director: Jeffrey Blitz

Website: no individual site, but click here for Sundance page


Summary: Dreaming of winning the lottery is as American as apple pie. Millions of Americans spend billions of dollars each year hoping to come up a winner. But what happens to the lucky few who actually pull a winning ticket? Lucky crisscrosses the country, examining a handful of past lottery winners as they navigate their newly found riches and a couple of extremely determined hopefuls. The winners’ lives are undoubtedly changed forever but not necessarily in the ways we may expect. Life becomes complicated as attorneys, hired security guards, jealous friends, scheming family members, and desperate pleas for help from strangers pepper their new existence. Veteran director Jeffrey Blitz (Spellbound, Rocket Science—2007 Sundance Film Festival Directing Award winner) has skillfully crafted a revealing look at the way one’s identity is undoubtedly turned upside down after the big payout. Thoroughly involving, Lucky cleverly strips off the veneer and shatters our perceptions about the ultimate American dream (Sundance).


Thoughts: Spellbound captured the hearts of many film goers with it's focus on children driven to find success in a competition where only one is victorious. Jeffrey Blitz' latest film Lucky seems to be investigating a different persona: adults who find rare success not because of talent but because of, well, luck. Will Blitz ruin the dream of winning the lottery for many? Perhaps not, but I'm sure his film will remind you that wealth doesn't always solve the one's problems.

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