The main plot of Lucky You revolves around Huck Cheever (Eric Bana) trying to secure a $10,000 buy-in for the World Series of Poker Main Event. Adding to the pressure is Huck’s father, L. C. Cheever (Duvall), who is a two-time Main Event winner and an accomplished player with whom Huck has a complicated relationship.
Eventually, Huck manages to get the $10,000 he needs (and actually holds on to it for long enough to buy into the tournament), and things culminate with the father-son duo playing at the final table of the Main Event.
This poker movie has some great moments, including numerous appearances from big-name poker players like Sam Farha, Mike Matusow, Daniel Negreanu, Barry Greenstein, and many more. The story is somewhat compelling, albeit it feels a bit rushed at times, and as far as the whole depiction of poker goes, it got some things right, but some of it is way off base.
Core XXX Movie Details & Rating
- Title: Lucky You
- Year: 2007
- Director: Curtis Hanson
- Main Cast: Eric Bana, Robert Duvall, Drew Barrymore
- Genre: Drama/Romance
- Duration: 124 min.
- Overall Score
| Criteria | Score (1-10) | Reviewer note |
| Poker Realism | 7/10 | The movie got a lot of it right, but it fails when it comes to paying attention to detail. |
| Story & Writing | 7/10 | The story is compelling enough, but the progression doesn’t feel quite natural and is quite rushed at times. |
| Acting & Characters | 8/10 | Bana and Duvall carried their characters quite well. |
| Poker Excitement Factor | 8.5/10 | There is more actual poker in this movie than in most, and poker scenes are quite exciting. |
| Entertainment value | 7.5/10 | The movie leaves a lot to be desired, but it’s certainly entertaining enough to see once. |
What We Loved About the Movie
The best thing about Lucky You, at least to me personally, is the long line of big-time pros appearing in the movie. It’s really cool to see all the stars from back then in their natural environment.
Having the likes of Doyle Brunson, Jen Harman, John Juanda, Phil Hellmuth, Sam Farha, Antonio Esfandiari, and many others make an appearance was clearly aimed at poker fans, and it works even today, let alone back when the movie was released and these players were at the very height of their fame.
There is a lot of actual play shown in the movie, which may be boring to non-poker viewership, but if you’re a poker fan, you’ll enjoy it – for the most part, at least. It is clear that a lot of thought and research were put into making poker scenes, but there are quite a few details that will make you scratch your head.
In the positive column, the betting action actually makes sense for the most part (bet sizes relative to the blinds), and hands players show up with fit the story. Of course, it is a movie, so there is always a bit of extra drama thrown into the mix, but Lucky You actually keeps things fairly reasonable.
The movie also shows several prop bets, i.e., a guy living in a bathroom for a while, Huck’s golf marathon bet, etc. Prop bets were a big thing at the time among poker players, so this certainly adds to the film’s authenticity and shows that filmmakers did their homework. However…
Shortcomings
Lucky You had all the foundations to be a great poker movie, but it somehow ended up being a mediocre one that most people see once and never really go back to it. And although it nails many things about poker and poker culture, there are so many wrong things in there as well.
First and foremost, Huck Cheever is supposed to be a professional poker player (a pretty good one at that), and he emphasizes several times that he never gambles on anything else. Yet, his approach to poker seems to be to put his entire bankroll on the table, try to double up, move to the next stake, and do it again.
Regardless of your poker skills, this is a very definition of gambling, as you’re always one hand away from busting, and it’s not how any successful professional approaches the game. To be fair, he is completely broke most of the time, but that whole narrative doesn’t fit the character that he is supposed to be.
On the whole, the movie does a good job in the poker segment, but there are quite a few small (and big) details that might irk you if you’re a poker player.
For example, when L.C. describes a hand he played and asks Huck for advice, you’ll notice that the betting order changes mid-hand. On the first couple of streets, he is in position, then all of a sudden, he is out of position.
I’ve heard poker hands described this way by some guys from my home games, but you’d expect a two-time Main Event winner to be on a different level.
One of the final scenes sees Huck muck his (winning) hand after calling an all-in on the river. This wouldn’t be allowed in a tournament all-in situation, especially in the Main Event, and especially in a situation involving father and son.
While Huck’s intentions may be noble, this is collusion 101, especially with a third player still in. In fact, we recently had a similar situation where only two players were left, and the whole hell broke loose over it.
Emotional things aside, throughout the movie, Huck and his father continue to gamble for large amounts (for Huck, at least) in games that involve almost no skill. So, is Huck Cheever an up-and-coming poker prodigy or a degenerate gambler who can’t be helped?
There are quite a few more moments where poker theory is being discussed, and some of the commentary doesn’t make sense when it’s coming from people who supposedly understand the game.
Final Verdict
As long as you don’t come in with big expectations, Lucky You is a fun movie that features quite a few exciting moments and scenes with some legends of the game that will bring a smile to your face.
There is a lot of actual poker action shown in the movie, and while it’s not always perfect, it’s quite enjoyable. The last third of the movie is pretty much all about the tournament, and it depicts that feeling of a big final table pretty well.
As a whole, Lucky You leaves a lot to be desired, and it certainly had the potential to be one of the best poker movies out there. As is, it is still worth watching, but it probably won’t stick with you for very long.
Overall Score: 7/10
