Courtney Howard // Film Critic
THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA
Rated R, 1 hour and 30 minutes
Directed by: Samir Oliveros
Starring: Paul Walter Hauser, David Strathairn, Walton Goggins, Shamier Anderson, Patti Harrison, Brian Geraghty, Maisie Williams, Haley Bennett, David Rysdahl, Shaunette Renée Wilson
One of the smartest things THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA does is contain its intriguing tale centered on an inconspicuous loser-in-life-turned-game-show-winner to a compact, almost real-time framework. Unlike QUIZ SHOW and 21 (both of which show how men gamed the system), this low-key thriller primarily stays within the claustrophobic confines of the CBS studio lot where the infamous contestant’s one day, two episode stint was filmed. It’s anchored by a captivating lead performance and provides a showcase for technical artistry that sets the picture’s evocative, atmospheric pull. While the material is knocked down by a few whammies, it’s an otherwise fascinating, melancholic elegy to the get-rich-quick hucksters of the world.
When we first meet Michael Larson (Paul Walter Hauser), he’s shown up for PRESS YOUR LUCK’s casting call, weaseling his way into the Television City offices under a fake name. He’s an down-on-his-luck ice cream truck driver from Ohio hoping to win money and make his wife Patricia (Haley Bennett) and young daughter Susie proud. Given he lied about his name, he winds up creeping out casting director Chuck (Shamier Anderson) during their brief interaction. But the show’s co-creator/ producer Bill Carruthers (David Strathairn) sees an unconventional spark in Michael and overrules Chuck’s decision – the first of many in which he’ll steamroll over his dissenting colleague. What neither suspects is the ride this dark horse will be taking them on the following day when he appears for the taping.
Back in 1984, the most a contestant on the show could win is about $40k. Michael’s beautiful mind, however, figured out the patterns on the board that would guarantee he could continue spinning for as long as he liked without hitting the dreaded “whammy” masked-villain character that would send the next spin to his competition, Ed (Brian Geraghty) and Janie (Patti Harrison). While he stumbles before the first commercial break, he returns to gameplay with a fire in his belly, setting off alarm bells to those watching in the booth with Bill, folks like lawyer Donna (Shaunette Renee Wilson) and Todd (David Rysdahl). As Michael continues to wow the audience and host Peter Tomarken (Walton Goggins) with his winning streak, Chuck and Bill investigate deeper as to who Michael was before they met him and how exactly he’s quickly amassing a fortune.
Director/ co-writer Samir Oliveros and co-writer Maggie Briggs exercise a deft sense of economy of time when it comes to balancing character development with the real-life situational circumstances. They build tension and intrigue during Chuck’s reconnaissance missions, calling Michael’s former acquaintance done wrong and breaking into Michael’s truck to discover precious family moments on VHS tapes, taped over with episodes of the show. They build dramatic weight, spotlighting Michael’s desperate calls to Patricia to tell her he’s somebody now and the pressure Bill is under to bring the record-breaking episode to a close in front of his boss.
That said, the material’s fabric woven tends to be threadbare in spots. Near the end of act two, the story becomes less of a push-pull struggle between corporate forces protecting their brand and a contestant with big dreams and more of a decidedly neutral re-enactment showing what transpires with producers attempting to throw Michael off his game and Michael to continue to hack the show computer’s programming. Are we supposed to be rooting for Michael to get the money or are we rooting for him to be caught cheating? Is what he’s doing even considered cheating? It’s a fine line and the filmmakers have trouble managing that tightrope walk without directly affecting our rooting interest. Plus, Maisie Williams, who plays the show’s worrywart stagehand, gets lost in the fray.
Where the material lets the air escape, the aesthetics gift the picture with its ineffable stylish sway. Editor Sebastian Hernandez uses montages to their electrifying advantages, conjuring a snappy energy. Cinematographer Pablo Lozano’s colors the world in a sepia-tinted nostalgic glow. Oliveros’ use of tight close-ups and medium shots plug us into his protagonist’s psyche. Anderson delivers great work as the Foil Who Won’t Be Fooled, showcasing strength and smarts. Hauser is perfection portraying this hapless hero, cutting into the deep-seated grief and superficial gains that fuel Michael’s motivations. He shades this sad-sack with an air of melancholy so that even his wins feel like staggering losses.
Housing one of the best scores of the year (seriously, partner with a boutique vinyl label to release this), THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA is a compelling character study, adding to the interesting anecdotal lore in game show history. Though Michael’s story didn’t stop after the cameras finished rolling, the empathetic human interest side of the sordid story did. Achieving his shortcut to the American Dream couldn’t save him from his own self-destruction, going on to ironically lose half the cash in a home burglary and flee his home state from charges in a fraudulent multi-level marketing scam before dying from throat cancer while on the lam. The film’s title – taken from the nickname Michael earns at his appearance on the show – brilliantly works as a double-edged sword, stated either triumphantly or sarcastically.
Grade: 3.5 out of 5
THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA opens on April 4.
