Lottery Ticket (2010) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

USA 2010
Director: Erik White
Cast: Bow Wow, Brandon T. Jackson, Ice Cube, Naturi Naughton, Loretta Devine, Keith David, Terry Crews
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: 20 August 2010
Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes

The Movie Review

Lottery Ticket film still 1


LOTTERY TICKET
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
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I deliberately saw this movie with a special intention after seeing such embarrassing news. Not for no reasons, just recently in Indonesia, there was this horrible case of an Indonesian housemaid/domestic-helper (Indo: Pembantu Rumah Tangga) named Darsem who'd got sentenced to death and almost got executed in Saudi Arabia, almost all Indonesian people who knew the case chipped in their money to buy her freedom! We did it! Thanks to every person from the rich to the poor (seriously!) We contributed to her freedom and we even could give her tons of money for her to build a new future. Do you know how much the money the Indonesians gave her? 1,200,000,000 Rupiahs! And it's touching to see how "initially" Darsem had promised to give some of her money to the family of Ruyati. Ruyati is another housemaid beheaded in the aforementioned country for a controversial crime. But now... Darsem did keep her promise, and she gave that family some of her money... And again do you know how much? A staggeringly shocking of miniscule amount worth only 20,000,000 Rupiahs! When confronted and interviewed on a local TV station, Darsem said she would help Ruyati's family some other time if she "had the power" to help but for now that 20 million was all that she could help out of sincerity. Indonesians now begin to question this so-called "Sincerity"...

Darsem. courtesy: inilah.com

Ruyati binti Sapubi (54 yo). courtesy: tribunnews.com

Money can't buy happiness but if money empowers you to bring joy to people who love you, that's one of unspeakable form of happiness. Other than that, it's just sheer pleasure. Winning a lottery ticket or getting sudden instant cash or inherits unknown wealth is definitely real as fact of life and many filmmakers have brought this up in their movies. One might think "Why should Lottery Ticket be any different?", actually this comedy movie is different, different in a good way. At first I had doubt for having seen many movies with familiar/famous stars in it (called as "Ensemble Cast") which turned nothing but an overly-ambitious project gone suck! This type of film usually relies on those famous actors/actresses (which suddenly become stoic and wooden on screen) without thinking further about the story development. But not this time fellas... Lottery Ticket is good!

In Fillmore Housing, the African American community is all riled up with the lottery ticket every 4th of July. The true winner could bring home the money prize in such staggering sum... US $370,000,000! Every year everyone is lured to buy the ticket even though their chance of winning is 1:175,000,000! Everyone is lining up at the convenience store and daydreaming of fortune with all their wishes and hopes except for one guy named Kevin (Bow Wow). He is an honest boy working at foot locker and living only with his granny. All he knows is work and work. Kevin also befriends a mysterious man living in the basement of a house that even Kevin's own best friend think of him as a serial killer.

While dating his girl Stacie (Naturi Naughton), Kevin takes home one lottery ticket that in his utmost surprise is the winning ticket which also means his ticket to better future. But huge news like this will not go unnoticed. Soon, Kevin's neighbours from the good and loyal to bad and brutal are after the ticket in their own ways. Unfortunately Kevin can not cash in the ticket directly due to holiday weekend. It means Kevin with the help of Benny (Brandon T. Jackson) and Stacie are gonna hold on for three days. But could they? And who is this mysterious Mr. Washington?

Genuine, heartfelt and exciting. Good movies are easy to find but a feel-good comedy and drama like this is not that easy and it takes certain aspects to fulfill. Most importantly the chemistry and the acting. That my friend, is the biggest upside of Lottery Ticket. The way the community are chatting and hanging out with each other or the how difficult the position of Kevin or how Kevin is arguing with Benny are all depicted with good sense of reality. The writer also includes how those who used to turn their back on him suddenly approaches Kevin out of the blue. There are several moral lessons which can be absorbed without the story has to explocitely say so, including not forgetting who you are and where you came from once you got to be successful. The actors are all great, it seems no one is overshadowing anyone. They seem to work in unison. With entertainer such Terry Crews (White Chicks (2004); Norbit (2007)), Brandon T Jackson and Ice Cube as well as other famous actors, Lottery Ticket entertainment level is elevated from ordinary to recommended. The ending scene is also memorable as a neat combination of editing, soundtracks and great extras. Great movie for the family.