Say Sing & Sign Your Numbers

"Lucky Numbers" was one of the Funniest movies I've seen in a Very Long Time. The Performances are Genuinely Hysterical. Seeing John Travolta and Tim Roth Share the screen for the first time since "Pulp Fiction" (in a Coffee Shop as well)is simply one of the greatest moments in cinema since 1994. (Pulp Fictions Release)

Even Lisa Kudrow, who I usually Can't Stand, was Great and the Supporting cast of Ed O'Neil and Michael Rapaport are Brilliant. Which Brings me to Bill Pullman, (who has always been a favourite of mine since "Ruthless People")Just when I thought the film was going to start going downhill,(i thought no movie could keep this laugh rate up) Bill enters and Makes it even Funnier. He plays one of the Funniest Characters ever to grace the screen.

Brilliant Stuff all round. Travolta, come live in Australia, where your comedic brilliance is Appreciated.


Lucky Numbers is an odds on riot of a dark comedy!   October 28, 2000
8 out of 14 found this review helpful

Lucky Numbers is a pretty likable movie. For a dark comedy it's pretty appealing and while it doesn't have a ton of belly laughs, it's really quite funny. Imagine Ruthless People crossed with Fargo and you have a decent idea of what to expect in this film.John Travolta shines as Russ Richards, TV weatherman and mega star in his own mind. He drives a Jaguar, lives in a huge home and has a booth (and parking spot) reserved for him at the local Denny's. Russ even owns his own snowmoble dealership which is hurting due to the warm winter. To make matters worse, Russ has spent much more money than he has, so, to preserve his local celebrity persona, Russ becomes a desperate man. His friend Gig (Tim Roth in a welcome return to the screen), a sleazy barkeep suggests he get his girlfriend Crystal (Lisa Kudrow), the lotto girl, to rig the drawing. From here on in, things get out of control. Russ and Crystal's scam works, all of a sudden, everybody wants in on the action. Crystal's strange cousin (Michael Moore of 'Roger and Me' fame), Dale the Thug (Michael Rappaport), and even TV station manager Dick (Ed O'Neill), who is having an affair with Crystal, all want a pice of the lottery fortune. Bill Pullman turns up towards the middle (as a lazy cop illegally collecting disability) to investigate the goings on. All of this adds up to quite a funny movie. All of the cast seem to work well together, the chemistry is great and the dialogue very funny. While Lucky Numbers isn't always such a winner in terms of its plot, there is a superb ensemble cast here, and every one of them give it their all.Travolta is very funny as the stressed out 'celebrity' whose scam falls apart before it really begins. His increasingly frenzied behavior is hilarious by the end. Bill Pullman steals the show as the cop who'd rather be doing anything else, and Lisa Kudrow is both likable and despisable as the greedy woman who cares only for the money. In smaller roles, Ed O'Neill, Tim Roth and Michael Moore also pull off their roles with charm. For a film about backstabbing and greed, there certainly are a lot of likable characters. Lucky Numbers may not be a comedy masterpeice, but it's so fun to watch that audiences should enjoy themselves with it. Director Nora Ephron is better known for her 'romantic comedies', she directed You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle. Ephron takes on a different film with Lucky Numbers, a comedy about people trapped in middle America and will do anything to get out. This may not be the most admirable message to try and get across, but the movie itself is pure fun. With such a good cast and plenty of chuckles, Lucky Numbers is a million dollar winner all the way.


A TRAVOLTA LETDOWN   November 5, 2000
Gerard T. McGuire (Halifax, Pa. United States)
7 out of 11 found this review helpful

Much has been said about Travolta's choice of film roles of late, and the criticism will continue after the premier of LUCKY NUMBERS. Travolta plays a weatherman in Harrisburg, Pa. who's side project snowmobile dealership is suffering due to the great weather in December. In an attempt to get himself out of financial hardship and live a lifestyle worthy of his local celebrity, he along with the lottery girl(Lisa Kudrow) and a local strip club owner (Tim Roth), hatch a plan to fix the Pa. Lottery. Needless to say, the plan's aftermath is hectic at best.

There are some moments of worth in this film. Kudrow does a better than average job with her role as the money grubbing lotto girl who is not only sleeping with Travolta but the station manager as well. She is comically ruthless. Tim Roth is entertaining in his smaller part although he could have been used better. Michael Rappaport is the five star perfomer in this flick. Most of the belly laughts that this flick produces stem from his tough guy enforcer character. The real loss in this film is Travolta's character. The blame can not rest on Travolta. He does what he can, but the script lacks. His reluctant criminal persona is neither pitiful nor funny, both being necessary to pull this movie off.

Overall the movie is a dark comedy that often is more dull than funny. A great cast suffers from a poor script, a lackluster plot, and an ending that is both anticlimatic and unbelievable.

Being from the Harrisburg area, it was interesting to see a movie where I knew the locations and recognized the streets and scenery. In all fairness that may have added to my rating of this movie. Therefore, if you are not from central Pennsylvania you may only see this movie as a two star affair. Even Travolta fans will probably walk away dissapointed. Wait to rent this one, and I wouldnt recommend buying it.


From The Desk of John   April 13, 2005
thornhillatthemovies.com (Venice, CA United States)
6 out of 13 found this review helpful

Dear Quentin,

How are things going, man? I heard about the new film with Uma. Sounds great.

Did you see my newest film "Lucky Numbers"? I play Russ Richards, the local celebrity weatherman in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Russ has adoring fans, his own table and omelet at Denny's, and a snowmobile dealership. Due to uncommonly warm weather, his dealership is about to go under, crumbling his entire financial empire. Out of desperation, he pays a visit to Gig (Tim Roth), the owner of the local strip club. Gig suggests that Russ and his `friend' Crystal (Lisa Kudrow) rig the state lottery. Crystal works at the same station and pulls the numbers out for the lottery. Crystal is all for the idea. She has also been dating Dick Simmons (Ed O'Neil), the station manager and he has been neglecting her. Her share of the winnings will help her break free. Everything, of course, gets complicated.

Funny, huh? It has it's moments.

Quentin, you know that I like to work with people I know. It makes me feel comfortable. Acting is hard, man. I need comfort to help me create my characters. Nora Ephron directed the film. She and I worked together on "Michael", which was pretty successful, so I was hoping lightning would strike twice.

I really enjoyed reading the screenplay. Basically it combines elements of dark comedy and farce. People act weird, some people die, people are mean to one another. But they also act really silly. I haven't done a lot of farce but I laughed when I read the screenplay. My track record with comedy is spotty, but if someone has the $20 million and a decent script, I'm game.

Lisa and I are great together. She plays someone that is very different from her well-known persona on `Friends'. Crystal is very different from Phoebe. Crystal has an edge, a determination that makes her very interesting. Crystal has a few moments that also make her seem real, a very important factor in a farce. If the character doesn't have at least a tiny grounding in reality, the farce doesn't work. Lisa gets this and makes it work. I get it, too, and made it work during the scene in the Denny's... In the scene in the snow mobile dealership... In the scene at the television studio when they reveal that someone was killed... In the... Well, I know I made it work somewhere. I'm no film historian, but it works.

The supporting characters are top notch. Michael Moore plays Crystal's dimwitted cousin. He is very funny. Tim Roth is good, but doesn't have a lot of laughs. But that's OK. He's primarily a dramatic actor anyway. Actors should play to their strengths. Michael Rappaport plays a local thug. He's all over the place. Hell, most of the supporting cast is all over the place. That's OK, because this is a farce, right?

I know reviewers will pick up on the fact that everyone in the film is greedy, unlikable and they really don't like each other. There isn't really anyone to care about. That's OK. These characters are based on real people. They don't need to be likable. They need to be funny. They are funny. Aren't they? Sometimes? Yes. They have some funny moments.

Nora is a great director. She has a good hand at comedy, especially farce. Every farce I have ever seen has too many laughs. You're laughing when another joke happens. You can't keep track of it all. Thankfully, Nora has slowed everything down... Quite... A... Bit. Her pacing is glacial. But I like that. I have the ability to laugh at the jokes.

Quentin, I'm just not sure. I've had a string of dogs lately. I'm not a good actor. I'm a movie star. I am a persona that draws people into the movies. They shouldn't expect my performance to be subtle or even well-modulated. If I'm playing a local celebrity weatherman, I'm going to play it for all the smarminess I can. I'm going to mug and grin at every character that recognizes me. I'm going to wear the local fame on my sleeve and when things start to go wrong, I'm going to shake, rub my head, run around in circles, really frustrated. I can play characters. But lately, people haven't been coming to the films. "Battlefield Earth" was a disaster, but to save face, I told some news people that I thought it was good and will make a sequel. I am a powerful star, a member of the $20 million dollar club. I can't go back to the under $10 million club. I just can't.

Quentin, you are the king of creating comeback vehicles. Can you start thinking of another comeback vehicle for me? I know you can. I think that I may need another comeback in a year or two. Start watching the old videos, OK, pal? For me, Quentin?

Thanks, buddy.
John



Hilarious   January 10, 2001
5 out of 7 found this review helpful

Nora Ephron's latest movies have been terrible, so I was bracing myself when seeing this. But it's a hilarious movie. It takes some dark turns that don't fit the rest of the movie, but that is not a fatal flaw. This movie was released at the same time as MEET THE PARENTS, which was an awful movie that was a big hit, while this was a great movie that was a flop. Go figure. I'll never lay an eye on a single frame from of MEET THE PARENTS again, but I'll be sure and see this one again.