“The Luckiest Man in America� is an ironic title for the story of Michael Larson, the Ohio man who managed to win over $110,000 on a 1984 episode of the game show “Press Your Luck.� The truth is, luck had nothing to do with it.
Larson, played here by Paul Walter Hauser, had memorized the five patterns of seemingly random blinking lights on the Big Board, successfully avoided whammies, and took CBS for an unprecedented sum. As depicted in Samir Oliveros� film inspired by this odd moment in television history, the “luckiest man� title was hastily brainstormed by the panicking producers backstage, hoping to spin their expensive oversight into TV gold.
This is a light and breezy affair with a few unexpected twists, some social commentary that doesn’t entirely land, and it might not have enough staying power for it to be truly memorable. -- Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service Read moreMovie Review: 'Clown in a Cornfield' a light, breezy slasher
This flick isn’t a masterpiece, not even a vulgar one, but it’s cheeky and entertaining enough in its giddy hyper-violence, thanks almost entirely to the star turn of Josh Hartnett, who has proven in his recent renaissance that he’s especially great in bozo mode. -- Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service Read moreMovie Review: Josh Hartnett saves 'Fight or Flight' from crash landing
Perhaps we don’t need the reminder that our personal relationships with animals are some of the most special and rewarding ones that we can enjoy as human beings, but “The Penguin Lessons� also underscores that our relationships with people are even more important, and that sometimes animals are the best stewards for this particular journey.-- Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service Read moreMovie Review: A teacher's pet warms the heart in 'Penguin Lessons'
