Lucky Numbers

MPAA Rating: R

Entertainment: +1 1/2

Content: -3 1/2

It seems like TV weather personality Russ Richards (John Travolta) has it all, but an unusually warm winter makes his snowmobile business a real money loser. When his friend Gig (Tim Roth) suggests a fake robbery for the insurance pay-off, Russ thinks it might be the answer. But complications create the need for even more cash. Once again, Gig suggests rigging the state lottery, since the numbers are drawn at Russ TV station. That means bringing Crystal (Lisa Kudrow), the lotto ball girl, into the action. Committing the crime is easy; getting away with it is another story. This dark comedy has its humorous moments but, with no one to really root for among this set of losers, chances are the box office numbers wont be lucky.

Love of money is the root of all evil according to the Apostle Paul and lack of it causes problems as well. Russ seems to be a nice guy whos friendly with everyone, serves as a Big Brother, visits elementary schools and encourages his one employee at the dealership. But he also associates with Gig, who owns a strip club and has some unsavory acquaintances. To help Russ, Gig hires a thug who beats people with a bat. Theres also a shooting but most of the violence occurs out of camera range. Crystal shows no morals as she sleeps with both Russ and the station manager. She also withholds his inhaler from her asthmatic cousin, who then dies. Theres no nudity, but one scene shows graphic sexual movement and several others in Gigs bar show dancers in underwear or skimpy costumes. However, frequent obscenities, regular profanity and many crude terms degrade LUCKY NUMBERS the most. Dont even gamble on this film.

Preview Reviewer: Paul Bicking
Distributor: Paramount Pictures, 5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038

Summary
The following categories contain objective listings of film content which contribute to the subjective numeric Content ratings posted to the left and on the Home page.

Crude Language: Many (25) times Mild 5, moderate 20

Obscene Language: Many (77) times F-word 36, s-word 23, other 18

Profanity: Many (29) times Regular 18 (GD 2, G 5, J, JC 2, C 2, for G sake 4, for C sake, Swear to G); Exclamatory 11 (OG 9, OMG, Thank G)

Violence: Several times Moderate (wrestling show on TV, car drives into window, man hit w/bat, mist sprayed in eyes, shooting, truck wreck, metal tool thrown breaking window, snowmobile wreck)

Sex: Few times - Graphic once, implied few times (unmarried couple in bed with motion and sound, couple in bed)

Nudity: Few times (female rear in club, carving of topless woman above bar, nude plastic sex doll in tub); Near nudity Many times (women in underwear/ skimpy costumes, woman in short nightgown, cleavage emphasized)

Sexual Dialogue/Gesture: Many times (references to adulterous affair, couple discuss sex, suggestive dancing at strip club, couple kissing on couch, woman bounces suggestively on bed, talk about self-gratification, comment about sex in Bible, cop stares comments about strippers, suggestive comments)

Drugs: Many times cigarette smoking, alcohol, marijuana, reference to knowing coke freak

Other: Many uses of slang profanity 'jeez,' man wonders if theres a higher being, man friendly with wait staff at restaurant, man talks at elementary school, cop portrayed as lazy possibly made fraudulent claim, woman insults Amish buggy driver

Running Time: 100 minutes
Intended Audience: Adults

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