To be honest, "Lucky You," starring Drew Barrymore, made me do an inward groan. Barrymore is not a great actress, merely because she is always playing herself, especially with that silly voice she does and her numerous hair tosses. But when you combine her with winning actors such as Eric Bana and Robert Duvall and a good plot, you can't lose.
Not only are there some talented actors in "Lucky You," but there is also a lot of gambling going on, which is important in keeping male viewers entertained during a so-called "chick-flick." Set in Las Vegas, "Lucky You" immediately engrosses us with the tenacity of the main character, Huck Cheever (Eric Bana). As we watch in wonder, he deftly manages to coerce a hardened pawn shop owner to purchase a used digital camera for an above-average price.
Cheever is definitely a smooth talker and an even more savvy professional poker player, but he has a high-stakes mentality that lands him in constant hot water. Thankfully, he seems to have a lot of luck and skill at playing cards that somehow keeps him in a continuous, fine balance between bankruptcy and success. His real issues though lie with his estranged father (Robert Duvall), who is also a professional poker player with whom he constantly pits himself up against in the no-limits section of Vegas poker dens.
Cheever has a bone to pick with the father who gambled away his mother's savings and most of his childhood; yet, in another sense, he also begs to be recognized by this dubious man from whom he learned all about the art of poker. Duvall masters his portrayal as the hard-nosed father who loved his son in all the wrong ways; with far too few "I love you"s and far too many let downs. The only thing that manages to draw the disaffected father and son together is the annual Las Vegas Poker Tournament.
Both men are aiming to win it; unfortunately, Cheever Jr. doesn't have the $10,000 ante to get in. When Cheever meets Billie Offer (Barrymore), he soon begins to realize that winning at any cost may not be the only thing life has to "offer".
.. no pun intended.
The love-story angle between Offer and Cheever is more subtle than it is blatant. For most of the film, we are not bored with long, mushy scenes between the two. In fact, Offer is more of an off-screen presence.
Her echoey words of morality haunt Cheever, and her strong voice of reason is what makes her necessary as an influence at all. She is the "Jiminy Cricket" of "Lucky You," constantly reminding her beau to do the right thing. Thankfully, Barrymore doesn't take up too much of the plot and adds just enough to make herself bearable and the film entertaining.
"Lucky You" seems to market itself as a romance when, in fact, it is a story about a father and son attempting to come to terms with their pasts, which is a far better deal than watching another Barrymore flop. This DVD is a worthwhile rental, a great poker lesson to boot; and not to mention, a great film for guys.
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