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Lucky You

Lucky You

Change your game. Change your life.

2007124 minPG-13Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Director
Curtis Hanson
Starring
Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, Robert Duvall, Debra Messing

A professional poker player whose astounding luck at the table fails to translate into his lonesome love life attempts to win the World Series of Poker while simultaneously earning the affections of a beautiful Las Vegas singer.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Lucky You?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Lucky You streaming on Howdy via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Lucky You?

Lucky You earns 7 badges, led by Box Office Flop and Hopeful.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Lucky You worth watching?

Lucky You's Midcredits score is the 33rd percentile of all films, from 27K ratings across 6 sources. 36% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

33rd percentile

Better received than 33% of films

29th percentile among Drama33rd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)36th
Approval (how many liked it)32nd

57 /100

36th percentile of all films

33rd percentile among Drama36th percentile among 2000s

Critics 49 · Audience 58

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.9 — solid but not unanimous.

36% liked it

32nd percentile of all films

27th percentile among Drama29th percentile among 2000s
36% rated it 7–1064% rated it 1–6

Critics 28% · Audience 28%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 2 noms overall

90th percentile

27K ratings across platforms

91st percentile among Drama83rd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$55M
Opening weekend$2.7M
Domestic gross$5.8M
Worldwide gross$8.5M

Returned 0.2× its budget — 84th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a drama centered on high-stakes poker with a heavily focused tournament structure and supporting romantic and family subplots.

Fans praised

  • authentic poker atmosphere with real pro players lending credibility
  • strong lead performances from Bana and Duvall
  • captures the psychology and tension of tournament poker

Detractors panned

  • overstuffed with poker scenes at expense of story and character development
  • romantic subplot feels forced and poorly integrated
  • predictable father-son conflict with clichéd resolution

What stands out

ActingDivisive65

Duvall praised as reliable, Bana credible in poker scenes; Barrymore divisive, some say miscast

Atmosphere65

Immerses viewers in Vegas poker world; credible setting

TensionDivisive55

Tournament sequences can build suspense; detractors find games boring

EndingDivisive50

Satisfying resolution for some fans; detractors call it predictable and soft

Plot and storyDivisive40

Slim narrative, predictable arc; detractors call it formulaic

CharactersDivisive35

Huck called underdeveloped and unsympathetic; father-son dynamic termed clichéd

PacingDivisive35

Too many repetitive poker scenes; critics call it sluggish

OriginalityDivisive30

Derivative of Rounders and other gambling films; little new to offer

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 15 points higher than women.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 17 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Lucky You like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
ContemplativeRomantic
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Romantic · 8% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its material straight, with sincere emotion in the romance and father-son conflict, and a grounded, observational approach to the poker world.
The rideThe mood is contemplative and romantic throughout, with emotional weight concentrated in the late reconciliation scenes.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from Huck's efforts to enter the tournament through the final game, with a standard setup, complications, and resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you believing Huck has turned his life around and reconciled, though his tournament loss and the struggles along the way add a bittersweet note.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% (this title) · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

13% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeHuck Cheever is a talented but self-destructive poker player whose journey to the World Series of Poker forces him to confront his compulsive behavior and his strained relationship with his father, culminating in personal growth and reconciliation.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Self-worth · 7% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film revolves around Huck's fractured relationship with his father and his need to prove himself worthy of love and respect.
StanceThe film celebrates the healing of family bonds and the possibility of personal redemption, treating Huck's journey with warmth rather than irony.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalPopSupportive music · hybrid
SettingLas Vegas poker rooms and pawnshops during the 2003 World Series of Poker

Content guide

Is Lucky You okay for kids?

PG-13

Lucky You is rated PG-13.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany6
  • Ireland12A
  • JapanG
  • Hungary16
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/14

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Lucky You have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Lucky You?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Eric Bana
as Huck Cheever
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Drew Barrymore
as Billie Offer
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Robert Duvall
as L. C. Cheever
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Debra Messing
as Suzanne Offer
Jean Smart
as Michelle Carson
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Robert Downey Jr.
as Telephone Jack
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Horatio Sanz
as Ready Eddie
Michael Shannon
as Ray Zumbro
Kelvin Han Yee
as Chico Banh
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Danny Hoch
as Bobby Basketball

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Lucky You?

Movies like Lucky You include Forever Strong (2008), The Cooler (2003) and The Mustang (2019). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in the American West, and several are stories about estranged parents and children.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its subject: redemption. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Lucky You?

1.7K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: parent and child estranged. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.