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The Lucky Ones

The Lucky Ones

2008115 minRMidcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Director
Neil Burger
Starring
Rachel McAdams, Tim Robbins, Michael Peña, Molly Hagan

The story revolves around three soldiers — Colee, T.K. and Cheaver — who return from the Iraq War after suffering injuries and learn that life has moved on without them. They end up on an unexpected road trip across the U.S.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Lucky Ones?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Lucky Ones streaming on Lionsgate+ via Prime Video, Pluto TV (free), STARZ and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Lucky Ones?

The Lucky Ones earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Feel-good.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Lucky Ones worth watching?

The Lucky Ones' Midcredits score is the 70th percentile of all films, from 18K ratings across 6 sources. 68% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

70th percentile

Better received than 70% of films

77th percentile among Adventure68th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)61st
Approval (how many liked it)76th

65 /100

61st percentile of all films

69th percentile among Adventure60th percentile among 2000s

Critics 53 · Audience 66

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

68% liked it

76th percentile of all films

82nd percentile among Adventure74th percentile among 2000s
68% rated it 7–1032% rated it 1–6

Critics 38% · Audience 54%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

82nd percentile

18K ratings across platforms

75th percentile among Adventure75th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 25% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$15M
Opening weekend$183K
Domestic gross$267K
Worldwide gross$288K

Returned 0.0× its budget — 25th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A road-trip dramedy about three wounded Iraq War soldiers bonding across America, leaning on character interaction more than war commentary.

Fans praised

  • Strong ensemble chemistry among the three leads
  • Rachel McAdams' layered, charismatic performance
  • Warm balance of humor and dramatic emotion

Detractors panned

  • Contrived, coincidence-heavy plot and cheap-looking tornado scene
  • Predictable road-trip formula and flat ending
  • Surface-level treatment of serious themes

What stands out

Acting80

Robust trio chemistry; McAdams singled out as exceptional, Pena and Robbins solid

CharactersDivisive70

Well-drawn,quirky archetypes but some find them stereotypical or thin

HumorDivisive68

Light, character-driven comedy works for fans; detractors find it forced

DialogueDivisive65

Natural, funny banter but occasional clunky lines

Emotional impactDivisive62

Gentle, heartfelt moments but not deeply moving for detractors

PacingDivisive50

Gentle rhythm works for some, drags for others

Plot and storyDivisive45

Meandering road structure, contrived coincidences and tornado

EndingDivisive40

Resolves predictably and flatly; satisfaction mixed

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Lucky Ones 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 warm that leaves you smiling.

It has a few laughs and leaves you feeling good.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
HopefulWarmMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmTender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its characters and their struggles with warmth and gentle humour, never resorting to irony or cynicism. It holds its material sincerely, even when dealing with serious topics.
The rideThe film shifts between lighthearted road-trip moments and more reflective, poignant beats, with the emotional core strongest in the middle as the characters open up.
StructureThe film follows a conventional beginning (meeting at JFK), middle (road trip across America), and end (arriving at their destinations).

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a warm, optimistic feeling about human connection and resilience, despite the characters' challenges.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet 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).Voyage
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% (this title): 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%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed.

4% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeThree soldiers returning from Iraq are stranded at JFK and drive cross-country, each with personal goals. The journey home becomes the spine of the story, with episodic encounters and self-discovery.

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 filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · 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% · 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

Friendship · 9% of filmsComing of age · 5% of filmsFamily bonds
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the unlikely friendship that forms between three soldiers from very different backgrounds as they make an unexpected road trip together.
StanceThe film celebrates the healing power of friendship and human connection, treating the soldiers' bond as a source of hope and redemption.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRuralIn transitRealistic
FolkAmbientSupportive music · hybrid
SettingA cross-country road trip from New York to St. Louis amid a widespread blackout.
MusicA folksy, acoustic-driven score likely underscores the road trip's reflective and hopeful tone.

Content guide

Is The Lucky Ones okay for kids?

R

The Lucky Ones is rated R: “Rated R for language and some sexual content” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (47/100), sexual content at moderate (48/100), language at intense (78/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (58/100) and frightening material at moderate (58/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • CanadaR
  • JapanG
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 50%
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (4 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (30 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Lucky Ones have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Lucky Ones?

Cast

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

Rachel McAdams
as Colee
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tim Robbins
as Cheaver
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.
Michael Peña
as TK
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Molly Hagan
as Pat Cheaver
Mark L. Young
as Scott Cheaver
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Arden Myrin
as Barbara Tilson
Coburn Goss
as Peter Tilson
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
John Heard
as Bob
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Jennifer Joan Taylor
as Bob's Wife
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Annie Corley
as Jeanie Klinger

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Lucky Ones?

Movies like The Lucky Ones include Scent of a Woman (1974), Enemy Mine (1985) and Duets (2000). Of the 12 closest matches, several are road-trip stories, and most are found-family stories.

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

11 of these 12 share its subject: friendship. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

2.5K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: road movie. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.