Thursday, May 10, 2007

Lucky You

I can't truly hate a film that opens with a Springsteen song, even if it is "Lucky Town". I hear Bruce belting out his tune and it puts a smile on my face. I also can't truly hate a film that stars Eric Bana and Drew Barrymore. Both are just so damn likable and cute. And finally I can't truly hate a film whose backdrop is poker playing in Las Vegas. That being said I don't have to like a film with such elements either.

Lucky You is a romantic comedy set in Vegas a few years ago and follows Huck (Eric Bana) who is a poker player who occasionally pushes to far and ends up broke especially when playing against his estranged father (Robert Duvall). He meets cute with Drew's Billie and surely enough they have a swift relationship one expects in a romantic comedy. Of course Huck screws up and Billie is hurt and blah, blah, blah.

The romance was kind of forced in this movie, and the real story is about the relationship between Huck and his father. His father has learned how to play poker and have a life; Huck has yet to learn that lesson. His father is trying hard to help him learn it. Which is what I think is ultimately wrong with the film. It just isn't interesting. Despite all the excellent actors in this film, no one wows with the material they have. They don't focus too much on the poker which is good because unless you're a fan, it would drive you insane.

I didn't hate this film, I just felt unaffected by it. Still it did have those Springsteen songs.

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