Lucky You
Lucky you is an American drama centred on the ups and downs of a talented young poker player who hopes to further his career, as well as his rewards, by entering the World Series of Poker Main Event.
However, it is not just the money needed to enter that poses a problem for the young gambler, he may also have to compete against a two-time World Series Poker Champion, his very own father.
Cast and Crew
Luck You was directed by Curtis Hanson, an American film director, producer and screenwriter who is best known for his role in directing the psychological thriller, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, and the neo-noir film that was nominated for multiple Academy Awards, L.A. Confidential.
Produced by Denise Di Novi, the screenplay for Lucky You was by Hanson himself, as well as Eric Roth, however the movie was actually inspired by the 1970 film, The Only Game in Town by George Stevens.
The film boasts a fairly talented cast with the likes of Drew Barrymore, a descent of the Barrymore family that has been well-known in the entertainment industry for generations. Other skilled actors featured include well-known actor and director, Robert Duvall and the extremely popular actor, Robert Downey Jr.
Eric Bana plays the role of our main character, Huck Cheever with Drew Barrymore as Billie Offer. Robert Duvall is cast as L.C. Cheever, Huck’s World Series Poker Champion father while Debra Messing plays Huck’s sister Suzanne, Robert Downey Jr. plays the role of Telephone Jack and Horatio Sanz is Ready Eddie.
Lucky You Plot Synopsis
The film is set in the year 2003 and follows Huck Cheever, an extremely talented Las Vegas poker player who is constantly haunted by his rocky relationship with his father, who is an exceptionally skilled poker player himself. A regular in the Vegas poker rooms, Huck hopes to assume a seat in the World Series of Poker Main Event, however he needs the money to do so.
At a fairly early stage, Huck meets an aspiring singer in one of the Bellagio’s poker rooms, Billie Offer, and the hint of a future romance hangs in the dialogue. Until his father arrives, Huck’s performance at the tables is impressive, giving light to the incredible amount of tension between the two.
The story unfolds when Huck gets involved with a ruthless and shady loan shark, Roy Durucher, and has to balance what is becoming an intense love affair, his hope to earn the title for the World Series and building a relationship with his estranged father.
Production Notes
Lucky You was actually shot on location in Las Vegas and featured an incredibly large amount of real professional poker players, as well as the World Series of Poker host and tournament director.
Release and Reception
Released by Warner Bros on the 5th of April 2007, this 124 minute film opened on the same weekend as Spider-Man 3 and merely brought in $2.7 million ticket sales in its opening week.
Lucky You was criticised by most critics and given a poor rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while IMDb has given it a 5,9 out of 10. In spite of its poor reviews, the film gave rise to Eric Bana’s nomination for the Australian Film Institute International Award for Best Actor.