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      The Lucky Ones

      2008, Drama, 1h 55m

      74 Reviews 10,000+ Ratings

      What to know

      Critics Consensus

      The Lucky Ones features heartfelt performances, but is undone by the plot's overwrought parade of coincidence and contrivance. Read critic reviews

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      The Lucky Ones  Photos

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      Movie Info

      Stuck at a closed airport while on leave from Iraq War service, soldiers Colee Dunn (Rachel McAdams), Fred Cheaver (Tim Robbins) and T.K. Poole (Michael Peña) decide to carpool to get to their far-off destinations. Colee wants to visit with her late fiancé's family, while wounded T.K. longs to see his future wife and Fred, needing fast cash to send his son to college, is headed for a casino. During the journey, the soldiers forge a bond based on their uncertain futures.

      • Rating: R (Some Sexual Content|Language)

      • Genre: Drama

      • Original Language: English

      • Director: Neil Burger

      • Producer: Neil Burger, Brian Koppelman, David Levien, Rick Schwartz

      • Writer: Neil Burger, Dirk Wittenborn

      • Release Date (Theaters):  limited

      • Release Date (Streaming):

      • Box Office (Gross USA): $183.1K

      • Runtime:

      • Distributor: Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate Films

      • Production Co: Sony Pictures, Lionsgate Films, QED International, Roadside Attractions

      Cast & Crew

      Molly Hagan
      Mark L. Young
      Howard Platt
      Arden Myrin
      Coby Goss
      Neil Burger
      Dirk Wittenborn
      Adam Merims
      Bill Block
      Paul Hanson
      Steffen Aumueller
      Claus Clausen
      Elliot Ferwerda
      Marina Grasic
      Jan Korbelin
      Tom Ortenberg
      Said Boudarga
      Brian McCormack
      Declan Quinn
      Naomi Geraghty

      Critic Reviews for The Lucky Ones

      Audience Reviews for The Lucky Ones

      • May 31, 2014

        The Lucky Ones is one of those movies that surprised me, the trailer looked good, and it was a film that exceeded my expectations. Reading some of the reviews, I found that the film had its fair share of flack, and really I find this movie to be quite underrated. The Lucky Ones is a charming dramedy with a good cast of actors who have great chemistry on-screen. This film is quite good and it is an entertaining film with plenty of effective moments that really bring out the best out of the movie. The movie is far from perfect, but it most certainly doesn't deserve the negativity it has received. The Lucky Ones is worth seeing and what makes the film work very well is the fact that the characters are likeable and you sympathize with them. At first the movie is joyful, but then it takes a more serious turn, all the while keeping a humorous edge to the material, which makes this such a pleasant and surprising movie. The performance that surprised me the most was that of Rachel McAdams, who delivers one of her finest performances yet. The film is better than you might expect, and the story is very well layered to really make the film worth seeing. This is a terrific film worth your time, and it is far better than what the negative reviews has suggested. With a great cast, a charming, yet well constructed story, The Lucky Ones is a very good dramedy that is highly engaging from start to finish. The film's strength lies in its great characters and good performances, and with that alone, you can forget the film's shortcomings.

        Super Reviewer
      • Jan 31, 2011

        I was recommended this film by a member of the RT community and, despite the negative reviews, I decided to give this a shot. On their return home on a thirty day pass from Iraq, injured soldiers Sgt TK Poole (Michael Pena) and Private Colee Dunn (Rachel McAdams) meet Sgt Fred Cheaver (Tim Robbins), a solider returning home at the end of his tour of duty. Cheaver wants to return home to his wife and son, Poole and Dunn want to go to Las Vegas - Poole seeking a cure to his impotence following a shrapnel injury and Dunn to return a guitar to the family of her boyfriend. When a blackout affects flights in New York, Cheaver, Poole and Dunn start a journey which takes in bar fights with college students in Indiana, spiritual healing services and invitations to a party in Kansas City, a picnic which leads to encounter with some travelling sex workers and a tornado and, ultimately, a journey of discovery for the three soldiers as they find out about each other and the country that they have become detached from and a country that appears to have changed in their absence. Having not known about this film before, I went into it with open eyes and I'm glad I did. The term "dramedy" is one that's getting a lot of use at the moment, but this is a film that uses it well. The humour is one the main at a chuckle level, but there are some belly laugh moments - such as the request made by Colee at the spiritual healing session on behalf of TK and Fred and a lesson in when discretion should be the better part of valour, especially when bedrooms have thin walls. The drama is in sync with the humour, as the three characters look to compliment each others deficiencies and answer questions that are posed to them such as to the main reasons for serving in the Army and what lives they are coming back to. All three leads work extremely well alongside each other as a sort of surrogate family for each other, you have the paternal Fred trying to keep TK and Colee in check whilst trying to make sense of his own problems. Tim Robbins is well suited to this role as a man who has to serve as referee and man who needs emotional and physical healing. TK is, in effect, this snobbish, self important elder borther figure who dismisses Colee's life style choices and has no faith in her abilities. Michael Pena is great in this role as TK's behaviour is irritating to begin with, but as the journey goes on you get to see some of the reasons behind TK's need to develop himself. Rachel McAdams, for me, is the standout as Colee. She is the young firebrand - trying to prove herself to Fred, TK and in some respects, to herself for her own self worth. McAdams has to give Colee an adult level self awareness to tie in with the humour and drama within the script whilst maintaining a childlike innocence throughout which is endearing and great to watch. If you've not had the chance to watch this, give it a try on rental. I enjoyed this journey... I hope you do too.

        Super Reviewer
      • Nov 05, 2010

        Three soldiers returning from Iraq after sustaining injuries received during combat expecting a normal 30 days of leave. When they arrive at JFK Airport in New York, all fights have been canceled, because of a blackout. The three decide to rent a van and drive to St. Louis, but what started out to be a short 14 hour trip ends up being a journey across America. Along the way, the three soldiers who had just met become close friends but expectations of home are not what they thought it would be. The actors all do good jobs and Michael Peña was completely captivating in his portrayal of a proud young vet from a military family on his way to meet his girlfriend, with his masculinity compromised by a war injury. His character is the most subtly poignant as he confronts his own fears about his manhood.

        Super Reviewer
      • Oct 14, 2010

        Good movie. Not the fastest moving drama, but just the right amount of things going on the keep my interest. Watching these three soldiers go through so many different phases of problems and issues was very interesting. We got to watch them get closer and closer to feeling like family together. A feel good movie? Not sure. I am torn between liking the ending, and wishing it went a different direction...but I guess it was realistic.

        Super Reviewer

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