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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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Lucky You (2007)

Rating: 3 Stars (out of 4)

The Changing of the Cards

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Lucky You on DVD

Curtis Hanson's movies (8 Mile, In Her Shoes) are always better than they look; in his hands, the most wretched sow's ears become silk purses. The story behind Lucky You is as run-of-the-mill as they come; dueling father/son poker players (Robert Duvall and Eric Bana) butt heads, while the patient love interest (Drew Barrymore) helps sort things out. Everything comes down to the big Las Vegas Texas Hold 'Em tournament, or the "World Series" of poker. Hanson spreads his movie out like a deck of new cards, considering everything from atmosphere, location and character to other organic details. Within this large, luxurious space, his actors tend to breathe deeply and shine through. Some celebrity players appear as themselves, and Robert Downey Jr. stands out in one brilliantly frantic scene.

DVD Details: Warner Home Video's new DVD comes with two featurettes, running between 15 and 20 minutes, that mostly detail shooting the poker sequences. There is also 9 minutes of deleted scenes. Audio tracks are available in English, French and Spanish, and likewise for the optional subtitles.

AskMen.com: Lucky You

Starring: Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, Robert Duvall, Debra Messing, Charles Martin Smith, Robert Downey Jr., Jean Smart, Horatio Sanz, Delaine Yates, Mykel Shannon Jenkins, Daniel Doble, Yetta Gottesman, Saverio Guerra, Maya Hazen, Danny Hoch, Alexander Kuznetsov, Lindsay MacFarland, Bill May, Kelvin Han Yee, Omar Benson Miller, Phyllis Somerville, Tracy Howe, Matt Savage, Hans Howes, Ed Refuerzo, Spencer Conner, Sam Farha, Chau Giang, Jason Lester, Daniel Negreanu, Richard Assad, Doyle Brunson, Jennifer Harman, John Hennigan, Laasa Howard, Karina Jett, Evan Jones, John Juanda, Mike Matusow, Sam O'Connor, Shawn Parr, Michael Shannon, Crystal Simanek
Written by: Curtis Hanson, Eric Roth
Directed by: Curtis Hanson
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some language and sexual humor
Running Time: 124 minutes
Date: May 4, 2007