User reviews

John Travolta is embarrassing. He is NOT funny. Unfortunately the story is about his character Russ Richards. This Russ Richards annoys everyone in the movie and the audience. Travolta's last good movie was 1997's SHE'S SO LOVELY.

Lisa Kudrow does her best, but can't save the movie. Her character ranges between being stupid and being ruthless. Some of the better moments AND laughs come from her.

Bill Pullman steals the show as a cop who doesn't want to work. Unfortunately he only appears at the end of the movie when you are so bored that you are not longer interested in what is happening next.

Good cast (except Travolta), poor story, nothing special. 4 out of 10

Nora Ephron's Lucky Numbers has it's moments, but in the long run it is a near miss. The plot has a successfull weatherman and snowmotor businessman played by John Travolta in a somewhat redeemable performance (after Battlefield Earth, even though he wasn't bad in that). But, he starts to get in debt, and his snowmotor business is loosing because of a warm winter. So, he and his girl (Lisa Kudrow is wickedly cruel yet sometimes funny) get the idea to rig the lottery, but things go wrong. The film is all over the map, with too many characters and a lot of plot going into something that doesn't need it, and I'm talking about a dark comedy here, so know where I'm coming from. 2 very funny scenes though almost make up the utter lulls in the film: a scene where Travolta has a blank expression on his face while trying to report the weather and hearing about a murder linked to him; and the 2 exceptional scenes with Michael Moore (of Roger & Me fame) as Kudrow's pathetic, asthmatic cousin. Now if only these scenes were put in a slightly better film. C+

I think highly of John Travolta as an actor. After being one of the hottest properties in the eighties, he virtually disappeared for five years and then spent another four years with nothing more substantial than three `Look Who's Talking' movies. Then at 40 years of age, he took an enormous gamble with `Pulp Fiction', making a triumphant comeback and never looking back. Unfortunately, 2000 was not a good year for Travolta. After the lackluster `Battlefield Earth', he needed a project that would help him regain his momentum. This film wasn't it.

`Lucky Numbers' is a dark comedy about two hapless employees of a local Harrisburg TV station who try to fix the state lottery. The screenplay is goofy and has a TV sitcom feel to it. The majority of the jokes don't work. Director Nora Ephron (`Sleepless in Seattle', `Michael', `You've Got Mail') is a talented director, but quirky slapstick is not her strong suit. She does much better with schmaltzy romantic projects.

Travolta hasn't played a character this vacuous since Vinnie Barbarino in `Welcome Back, Kotter'. It is a definite step backward for him, since he has proven himself an excellent dramatic actor. His performance isn't terrible, the character is. For Lisa Kudrow, this is the same ditzy character she has been playing for years, only with a liberal dose of profanity. She does a good job, but the character is extremely predictable with little range. Ed O'Neill is droll as the station manager who tries to cut himself in on the caper.

This film has plenty of talent, but a weak script. I rated it 5/10. It is not awful, but it is extremely mediocre and it didn't provide Travolta with an opportunity to redeem his year.

Lucky Numbers is not a great film but a good one. I thought John Travolta, Lisa Kudrow and Tim Roth and Ed O'Neill gave fine performances. Lisa Kudrow is the only one of the "Friends" cast who doesn't make totally sucky movies. With the exception of Jennifer Aniston in Office Space and maybe David Schwimmer in Apt Pupil.

I really dug the Midwest American setting, the two bumbling cops, how Travolta's character Russ Richards wallows and loves his local celebrity status and his reserved parking spot at the local Denny's, and the great 80's soundtrack. And this has to be the first flick directed by Nora Ephron that I enjoyed.

Adam Resnick wrote the screenplay for Lucky Numbers and the more recent Death To Smoochy. Both these films are good but flawed dark comedies and deserve to be seen and enjoyed. So don't listen to what others may say and go see these two (flawed) Resnick gems. Ciao!

Taking advantage of the Cineplex's "free pop refill", I exited the theatre once to get my self another large vat of cola to continue what up to that point had been an sometimes funny comedy of errors, but when I returned things simply stopped being funny.

Its like watching Adam Sandler's "The Waterboy" -- ooooh, I can talk in a funny accent... listen to me talk in a funny accent! I'm funnnnny in a funnnny accent. It gets tired after a while.

The same goes for John Travolta in this dozer of a flick --- oooh, I'll mug and say "gosh golly gee, how can this be happening to me."

But its not only on the comedy where Lucky Numbers fails to produce results... its also the day and age the film is set in. It seems the production assistant was totally oblivious to any sence of time or continuity in this film... we watch as weatherman Russ' blue screen goes from being blue to black to blue and black... all in one scene... its changing with every shot too -- not like theres time for some "off camera action" to make the change occur. Or how about the use of a modern (post-90's) Denny's sign off the top of the film???? Or how about the scene where John and another character are standing in the middle of the road talking... a semi is coming up behind them, they cross the street, but the semi never does cross the screen!!! These are simply a small handful of technical gaffes which in my mind take the film even lower, since there isn't much of a plot to look at so YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE!

Save your money, this movie's a sleeper, and go do something better with your time --- this film simply doesn't payoff.

Nothing says scheming television weather man like John Travolta. Trust me, my sarcasm is well warranted. This movie misses the mark terribly. Even a cast featuring John Travolta and Lisa Kudrow could not make this picture worth seeing. The plot was overly simplistic at best, accompanied by an ending that can best be explained as lazy and incomplete. I left the theatre with only one question, What has happened to John Travolta's choice of movie roles ? Does anyone remember "Battlefield Earth" ? Need I say more...

Do Not Go see this movie. Do not even rent it when it comes out on video. If you still want to see it wait until it comes out on TV, then If you are lucky maybe you'll be able to laugh if some of the commercials are funny because this movie is not funny. It is sad. The worst part about it, is that it has potential to be funny and I kept thinking that maybe it would be funny but it never happened it just kept getting worse and worse and worse.

Working from a screenplay by Adam Resnick, director Nora Ephron diverts from her usual domain of romantic comedy to skirt the perimeter of Scorsese territory with `Lucky Numbers,' a black comedy of errors starring John Travolta and Lisa Kudrow. Travolta is T.V. weatherman Russ Richards, something of a local celebrity in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he also owns a snowmobile dealership. Kudrow is Crystal Latroy, who works for the same station as Richards, as the `Vanna White' of the state lottery show; she's the girl who pulls the ping-pong balls from the tube and calls out the winning numbers. In their world, everything is pretty much jake until the weather stays too good for too long; no snow means no snowmobile sales for Russ, and pretty quickly he's in it up to here, financially. With his back against the wall, the usually honest and upright Richards is coaxed into a plan that will put an end to his woes and worries. All he has to do is convince Crystal to help him rig the lottery, and they'll walk away with upward of six million dollars. And, as it usually goes with a plan for the perfect crime, it isn't long before Murphy's Law goes into effect, and things go south in a hurry. And life for Russ Richards, a guy with his own table at Denny's, just isn't what it used to be. But, like they say, when things look dark, it's probably only going to get darker... For Travolta, the character of Richards is somewhat different than any he's done before. To pull it off (which he does), he has to play down the charm and stifle his natural charisma, leaving Russ with just enough polish and ego to make him `local celebrity' believable. This is a good guy at heart, reasonably intelligent, but not exactly the brightest bulb in the overheads. And Travolta manages to put it all across admirably. He's not someone you'll easily relate to, but you've got to like this guy. He's kind of a, well, he's a goof-ball. Kudrow has a character in Crystal that is different for her as well; as the lotto girl, on the show she exhibits a somewhat dense persona; but Crystal is anything but. She's the sharp one of the bunch, externally charming when she needs to be, but tough as nails on the inside and ready to play hardball as soon as the opportunity presents itself. And Kudrow plays it all beautifully. Crystal is not someone you're readily going to embrace, but it's hard not to like her. Is it her fault there's more than a little larceny in her heart just waiting for the right circumstances to be unleashed? Ephron seems to enjoy taking these characters, who are just a shade darker than what she's used to, through their paces. It's a satirical walk on the wild side for her, and she manages to mine laughs in some of the darkest places along the way. But when you have characters with names like `Gig' (Tim Roth) and `Dale the Thug' (Michael Rapaport), you're going to get some chuckles no matter what, especially when one of them is wielding a baseball bat for all the wrong reasons. The supporting cast includes Ed O'Neill (Dick), Michael Moore (Walter), Michael Weston (Larry), and, in a small, but highly effective and hilarious role, Bill Pullman (Lakewood). This is a funny movie, though not uproariously so; things happen that you will laugh at in spite of yourself, while at other times there are moments that are genuinely side-splitting hilarious (one in particular, near the end, that involves an eighteen-wheeler). This may not be Ephron's crowning achievement cinematically, but nevertheless, `Lucky Numbers' is entertaining and good for some laughs. For Ephron, it's definitely the road less traveled; but in the end, it's a trip worth taking with her. I rate this one 7/10.

Well, someone needs to inform the writers, actors and director in Lucky Numbers about this fact because there was nothing funny in this movie. I spent most of my time (fortunately on a free ticket to a sneak preview) actively disliking the characters in the movie; not one was sympathetic or likeable.

I can certainly see why this one sat on the shelves for so long, but no amount of aging or editing could save this turkey.

(2/10)

This movie desperately needed better screenplay and better ending to it.Fair black comedy though becouse of the great cast and the powers of Travolta and Kudrow.Unfairly cut down by many critics.It is worth a watch as long as you do not expect a classic which I'm sure most knowledgable movie goers will not.The director shoud have made it more underground and less mainstream given the style chosen to do this film.......

Acclaimed director Nora Ephron misses a winner by a big margin. High priced talent and a screwy plot equals a lame comedy. A very popular TV weatherman(John Travolta)is fighting foreclosure on his home, because he is going broke with a business venture. With advice from a strip club owner(Tim Roth)and the eager assistance of(Lisa Kudrow)the state lotto number caller on TV, a plan is contrived to rig the winning numbers. Situational comedy, but more or less a pretty stupid story. Maybe more of a drama and a whole lot less comedy could have saved this project. But this lotto flick is a losing crap shoot.

Overweight Travolta is close to over the top as the egotistical weatherman. I don't recall seeing Kudrow in this light...sexy. No complaint here. Also in the cast are Ed O'Neil, Michael Moore and Bill Pullman. No great shakes, but the Travolta name is wagered to give credibility to this one.

Why wasn't this movie well-received? Simple. It's a "dark" comedy. And let's face it, the general public doesn't like dark comedy. They want to see goofy, Jim-Carrey-type comedies that make you laugh out loud, while making you feel all warm and tingly inside. "Lucky Numbers" doesn't, for a second, make you feel warm and tingly. But I have a dark, cynical sense of humor and this movie was a delight for me to watch. It's a good idea, and it was well-executed. The talented cast helps make the film work. Lisa Kudrow is never fully convincing as her ruthless character, but she's still fun to watch. I do think John Travolta gives one of his best performances, since he doesn't play the usual tough guy you see him play in movies like "Saturday Night Fever" and "Get Shorty." Instead, he plays a total wimp of a celebrity, and he pulls it off with flying colors. The underrated Bill Pullman has some funny moments in his supporting role. I was definitely impressed with Michael Moore, who's never had any acting experience before, yet it's not in any way visible in his very funny performance. Also in the supporting cast, we have Tim Roth, Ed O'Neill and Michael Rapaport--all giving first-rate performances. The movie is set in the 1980's, so I liked some of the cool 80's music in the soundtrack. Yet at the same time, Nora Ephron didn't try to capture the 80's atmosphere by having everyone where dorky 80's fashions and big hair and all that other stuff. "Lucky Numbers" is just a well-written film with a lot of great gags, and I would recommend this to anyone who's a fan of dark comedies.

Do not go into this movie expecting sheer hilarity. Do not go into this movie expecting character development. Do not go into this movie expecting realism or a positive portrayal of Harrisburg, PA and its residents. If you can do that, you might be able to enjoy this for what it is- an unrealistic situation comedy with a couple of surprises and laughs. Think "Disorganized Crime" with more humor. Travolta is actually fairly low-key, Kudrow is not as annoying as I expected, and decent cameos/supporting performances by Ed O'Neill, Darryl Mitchell & Bill Pullman (as good cop/bad cop), Michael Moore (!?!), and Tim Roth. Set your expectations low and you should enjoy it.

I was disappointed with this movie. I expected alot more from John Travolta. Lisa Kudrow's role was just an upscaled 'Phoebe' from Friends. It had a few laugh moments, but more not than so. This one will be at Blockbusters soon.

John's role in this movie was the worst I've ever seen. He's usually the man, like if you've seen The General's Daughter. But this time, my girlfriend and I both agreed (which rarely happens) that this movie was horrible. I gave it a 2 because the story itself was ok.

You would think with Lisa Kudrow, John Travolta, Ed O'Neill, and Bill Pullman in the cast you could expect a fun, clever movie. Travolta and Kudrow try very hard, but the story was tired and boring. Lisa looks great and the dancers are decorative, but even skin couldn't save this film. This is just a hideous waste of time.

Do people actually remember this? This must be one of those that people haven't watched since about a year or so after it came out. And TBS doesn't count. I decided to watch it for old times sake, and found it better than when I first saw it.

Lucky Numbers is no Ocean's Eleven or The Killing, but it is still very fun. The characters are dumber than the movies I just mentioned, but that works in the respects of the comedy and narrative. Smarter characters would have made the film less exciting, less fun, and over in a few minutes. These dumb characters are actually believable and well drawn, so it doesn't feel like an intelligence insult.

Lucky Numbers is a dark comedy based on the real lottery scandal in Pennsylvania in 1980. It stars John Travolta in the career ruining year for him. This was dissed by critics the same year he did Battlefield Earth. But this is much better. He is funny, down to his hair. He plays hotshot weatherman Russ Richards who is loved by everybody. He also owns a snowmobile dealership that is doing bad. Facing bankruptcy, his friend Gig (Tim Roth) suggests for him and his evil girlfriend (Lisa Kudrow) to rig the lottery. Lisa Kudrow plays Crystal, a model at the TV stations who pulls the numbers during the lottery program. Gig will get 20%, and Russ and Crystal will get the rest. It's awesome! A slew of people threaten the scam by demanding a share to keep their mouths shut. Michael Moore makes an appearance as Crystal's dumb cousin, Michael Rapaport plays a hit-man, Ed O'Neill plays the TV boss, and there's others. Will Russ get out in one piece?

The flaw that really gave the movie its bad rap was how many characters got introduced and how many times their roles in the scam kept changing. I don't mind there being lots of characters that change, but they should be introduced all at the beginning and have one set of people come about near the end. Sometime after the picks happen, characters are thrown in left right and centre and it becomes unclear where they fit in the puzzle. If this element was fixed, the ratings would be MUCH higher than they are now. But there's other aspects that make this a good movie. The characters are hilarious, and the dark tone is played about perfectly. In terms of the physical directing, Nora Ephron succeeds. As a neo-heist film, it succeeds. As a comedy, it succeeds to some people such as myself.

I recommend revisiting this.

3/4

Picture this.... a room that is full of people and only one of them has any redeeming values whatsoever but that person is patently unlikable. If this sounds like it might be a fun story, you're right. I enjoyed this movie on the simplest and most shallow level. It's no great spellbinder, there is no big surprise, but it moves along nicely and had be laughing out loud on a consistent basis. The performances were good with each character convincingly revolting. This movie is on my "Own It" list. Not because it is a masterpiece but because it managed to entertain me its entire length. I recommend this guilty pleasure to anyone who isn't too wrapped up in pretending they are a movie critic for PBS.

This funny and entertaining film kept me waiting every moment what was going to happen next!. Is like a thriller but well mixed with funny events. This movie also have a good lesson for life, and for all the good people, that desperate have made some bad decisions (i think that's a lot of us), or for those that haven't made them, and it is to see the consequences of some dumb acts. With a great casting (John Travolta, Bill Pullman, Lisa Kudrow, Tim Roth, Ed O'Neill, Michael Rapaport, and also Michael Moore!, the director and producer of Farenheit 9/11, playing a funny role in it) that makes the movie even better than just an original script!. Simply watch it and make your own conclusion; for me it's a really good movie, not a piece of art, but a well obtained entertaining movie!

About the Movie: This funny and entertaining movie is about Russ Richards (John Travolta), a famous and charismatic television weatherman, that is broke because he lives a life that he cant't afford; he starts a snowmobile business, but he can't sell anything because of the warm weather, desperate, he run an insurance scam and decides with her friend and lover Crystal (Lisa Kudrow), and some additional help (Gig (Tim Roth) and Crystal cousin Walter (Michael Moore)), to manipulate fraudulently the state lottery; they then start a quest around all these decisions and evolve in a entertaining, funny and tense story.

7/10! Good work of Nora Ephron!

It's 1988 Harrisburg PA. Russ Richards (John Travolta) is a local TV celebrity weatherman and he's broke after opening a snowmobile dealership. His shady friend Gig (Tim Roth) suggests an insurance scam but it goes wrong and Russ gets further in trouble with hit-man Dale (Michael Rapaport). Gig's next scheme is to rig the state lottery with the help of his amoral girlfriend Crystal Latroy (Lisa Kudrow) who pulls the numbers on TV. They actually succeed at winning the jackpot and station manager Dick Simmons (Ed O'Neill) tries to blackmail them. Mayhem ensues and detectives Lakewood (Bill Pullman) and Chambers (Daryl Mitchell) are forced to investigate.

This isn't funny even as a black comedy. Nora Ephron just doesn't have the feel for this comedy sub-genre. She is better off sticking with her usual brand of humor. The plot is a rambling mess. The characters are more annoying than actually funny. It is simply not funny and very tiresome.