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Lucky Numbers (1999)
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Reviews Counted:93
Fresh:21
Rotten:72
Average Rating:4/10
Consensus: Nora Ephron's attempt at dark comedy is an uneven product, both in terms of the direction and the acting. The characters are unlikable to the point where you don't care what happens to them, and Ephron condescends to the material.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] language, sexuality, some drug use and brief violence
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:Oct 27, 2000 Wide
Box Office: $9,534,013
Synopsis: Russ Richards (John Travolta) seems to have it all. A popular local television weatherman from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he has a reserved parking space and table at his favorite restaurant, a... Russ Richards (John Travolta) seems to have it all. A popular local television weatherman from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he has a reserved parking space and table at his favorite restaurant, a beautiful Jaguar convertible, and a rambling house. Unfortunately, he's also squandered most of his money, and the snowmobile dealership that he owns is going under because of a warm winter that shows no signs of snow. Desperate for a financial break, Russ seeks guidance from his friend Gig (Tim Roth), a sleazy Brit who owns a strip club and has connections with various undesirables. Initially, Gig's suggestion that Russ should rig the state lottery makes Russ cringe, but out of desperation he enlists the help of the Lotto lady, Crystal (Lisa Kudrow), and they fix the numbers of a six-million-dollar drawing. Of course, the plan goes terribly wrong in this clever dark comedy from director Nora Ephron (YOU'VE GOT MAIL, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE). The all-star cast includes Michael Rapaport as psychotic Dale the Thug, Bill Pullman as lackadaisical Detective Lakewood, Ed O'Neill as Crystal and Russ's boss, and Michael Moore as Crystal's seemingly straitlaced cousin. [More]
Starring: John Travolta, Lisa Kudrow, Ed O'Neill, Tim Roth
Starring: John Travolta, Lisa Kudrow, Ed O'Neill, Tim Roth, Michael Weston, Michael Rapaport, Michael Moore, Daryl Mitchell, Bill Pullman, Nick Loren
Director: Nora Ephron
Director: Nora Ephron
Producer: Nora Ephron, Andrew Lazar, Jonathan D. Krane, Sean Daniel
Screenwriter: Adam Resnick
Studio: Paramount Pictures
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Reviews for Lucky Numbers
The jokes simply aren't there; and, while some individual scenes work, the overall pacing is uneven.
There's not enough here to compensate for extended stretches of dead space.
It's hard to squeeze laughs out of such material, though the talented actors give it their best effort.
Now I like dumb comedy as much as the next dimwit, but not when the filmmakers condescend to their characters in order to make the audience feel superior.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 95% 95% | The Cove |
| 85% 85% | World's Greatest Dad |
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