The Luckiest Man in America (2025)

Sky Cinema continue to dip their toes into the film releasing water with this enjoyable- if forgettable- true story of Michael Larson (a rather excellent Paul Walter Hauser), an ice cream truck driver who got himself on a CBS game show called 'Push Your Luck'. The concept of the show was that contestants would press a button as a huge neon screen selected random choices of how much money they would win- or lose. The problem the show had when Larson appeared on it, was that he'd spent three months studying videotapes of the show, ultimately realising that their was only five configurations of flashing lights- and proceeded to memorise all of them.

The set up can only get you so far, and although there's great work on display from the ever dependable Walton Goggins as the quiz host, once the question of how he wins big evolves into what happens next, the film loses some of its momentum. We flit between the game show and the powers that be watching on live screens, trying to figure out what to do- they know something's not right, but the question becomes do we punish the man for cheating or do we figure out a way to try and make money from it ourselves?

Finding the answers to these questions keeps you occupied, if not completely invested. We don't have much of a backstory for Larson meaning that when his reasons are revealed they might well be valid but Samir Oliveros's film, at a slight ninety odd minuets, doesn't do enough to fully immerse you in proceedings. It's fun while you're watching it, and the story itself is interesting, but you've ultimately forgotten about it soon after the ending.

At times it feels like you're watching a lesser version of Robert Redford's excellent Quiz Show (1994), itself based on a true story. While The Luckiest Man in America has an interesting concept, its execution lacks the cinematic expertise of Redford's film, although being released by Sky Cinema straight to streaming does feel at least feel like the film has found its rightful home.

The performances are very solid, the story is interesting, and the film passes the time successfully while it's in front of you; but once it's finished, bar a quick look at Wikipedia to read the full true story, The Luckiest Man in America is ultimately insubstantial.

6.3/10