Plot
Jerry Selbee has retired, and is looking for his ‘next’ adventure. Having always been gifted with math and numbers, he discovers a loophole in the state lottery, where he works out a way to win. He along with wife Marge, decide to “go all in” and over several weeks start to make a profit.
Making it a legitimate business, he enlists the towns peoples assistance, and begins to ‘pay it forward’ throughout the town. However soon their state of Michigan shuts down the lottery, so they head to the neighbouring state of Massachusetts in order to continue, with the help of Bill, a kindly convenience store owner, who they also share their wins with.
All is going well, until a rival rears his head, the cocky Tyler, who “attends Harvard”
Cast
Bryan Cranston plays Jerry, the humble and likeable former factory worker. He has one of his ‘heart’ type characters here – which is the ‘why’ he is able to succeed in his plan.
Paired alongside him is the always brilliant Annette Benning. They work wonderfully together, and you really believe this is a couple who have been together for decades. They are so sweet together. Perfect casting.
Rainn Wilson plays Bill (who also supplies voice narration at times, which is somewhat unnecessary). He is sound, but I found him to be a tad underused and underdeveloped.
Uly Schlesinger plays Tyler, the primary ‘antagonist’ of the film. The character is clearly a plot device needed for tension in the film, but he too felt underused and underdeveloped, and almost two dimensional. He arrives too late in the film, and the way the tension/drama is added between himself and Jerry is done quite poorly.
Other cast of importance include Larry Wilmore as Steve, Jerry’s accountant, Michael McKean as Howard one of Jerry and Marge’s close friends, and Anna Camp as Dawn, their daughter in law.
Breakdown
Charming comedy/drama that is “inspired” by a true story. We meet the nice guy Jerry – who is retiring from his job at a cereal company. We get an insight (although not the specifics of his “gift” until later) that he’s a numbers man, and he likes a reason for everything (a little adult autism maybe?).
He discovers a loophole in the states lottery, that the week after a ‘no jackpot’ – there is a higher chance of a win via large ticket sales for one person (and with no limit for how many tickets one person can purchase) decides to go all in.
Soon he and his wife Marge start getting the townsfolk to invest, and they create a legitimate business – in order to pay it forward throughout the town (getting a yearly festival back up and running, and helping out townsfolk who need it.
This creates a sweet story-point not just for the town, but also for Jerry and Marge themselves, who have spent so long married, but lost out on some of their connection with one another.
The addition of the conflict trope happens in two ways; the first is the deletion of the lottery from their state of Michigan, which leads them to Rainn Wilson’s Bill’s conveniences store. He slowly becomes a partner in their story. I would have liked more closure for him – as his character is written going through a divorce. Even a side story point where he meets someone? Sure he gets his mancave though…
The second is the ‘villain’ of Tyler – who uses his classmates at Harvard to go up against Jerry. The way this plot point was included felt off. First he doesn’t appear until after half an hour into proceedings, and then the too and fro feels strange (clearly written for Hollywood). He threatens Jerry to stop playing “the game” – but Jerry calls his bluff (and the reason why Jerry’s “game” is better than Tyler’s is sweet. I would have liked one last moment between them following Tyler’s downfall, but he loses enough to have yet another blow…
The real big up in this film is Cranston and Benning. They are absolutely adorable together, and really sell the married for decades couple. I’m lucky enough to have parents just as cute as they are still, and Jerry and Marge reminded me a lot of my own family.
The feel good ending where the town comes together for one last game is heartwarming, and works. Wilson’s final narration where we discover just how much money Jerry and Marge won for their town is awe inspiring too!
Overall
Cute, and heartwarming dramady, with terrific performances by the leads Cranston and Benning – who sell the loved up Boomers on their ‘next adventure’.
Some great performances from the supporting cast, even if they were either underused or underwritten (Wilson, Wilmore, Camp and Schlesinger).
A strong recommend, even with the flaws.
4/5
Please also check out my Podcast on Youtube, where we review a new movie every week! Please subscribe!
Ryan's Movie Reviews 