There was a time in the ‘70s and ‘80s when game shows ruled daytime television. Tune the TV to one of the three available network stations between 9am and 4pm and bask in the glow of “The Match Game,” “The $20,000 Pyramid,” “The Price is Right,” or any of the others. The choices were endless. Lucky was the kid stuck at home with a fever or a snow day.
But there was one program in the ‘80s that rocked the world of daytime game shows. It was called Press Your Luck, where contestants answer trivia questions to earn “spins” on a randomly cycling game board. The board's lighted spaces display cash, prizes, extra spins, special items, or the show's devilish mascot, a cartoonish character known as the Whammy. Landing on a Whammy wipes any accumulated cash and prizes while also displaying a short comedic animation.
The problem with Press Your Luck was that the game board’s cycling wasn’t totally random. Turns out there were only five repeated patterns built into the cycling, making it fairly easy to decode … and one man figured it out. The new film called The Luckiest Man in America is the “true” story about that man, Michael Larson (Paul Walter Houser, Richard Jewell), and his unlikely run on the game show.
The Luckiest Man in America has all the ingredients for a captivating story: thousands of dollars at stake, a rigged game show, and a down-on-his-luck, deadbeat dad who cracked the code of television game shows. Sadly, the film ultimately stumbles in its execution. Directed by Samir Oliveros and co-written by Oliveros and Maggie Briggs, the movie fails to capture the mystery and intrigue of Larson's unprecedented winning streak and instead turns it into an uninspired, by-the-numbers retelling rather than a fascinating exploration.
The heart of the film's woes lies in its lack of insight. Anyone familiar with the remarkable true story of Michael Larson will struggle to find any new revelations here. The filmmakers take excessive liberties with the facts for dramatic effect, but these changes often detract from the real-life absurdity that made Larson's story so compelling. Ironically, the real events, and Larson’s aftermath, are so wild that they surpass the film’s neutered approach.
Hauser plays Larson with a perplexing level of detachment, leaving us somewhat disconnected from the charm and cunning that enabled the real Larson to outwit a major television network. Don’t get me wrong, Hauser is a phenomenal actor, but his character’s personality remains frustratingly cryptic and removed from reality. We never fully understand how this limp fish with the personality of a slug could charm the game show’s producers into inviting him on the show. More than likely the product of poor character writing rather than Hauser’s depiction.
While much of the movie struggles to take off, there are some bright spots, particularly in the supporting cast. Walter Goggins (“The Righteous Gemstones”) delivers a memorable performance as “Press Your Luck’s” flamboyant host, Peter Tomarken, capturing the over-the-top energy of 1980s game shows. Shamier Anderson (John Wick: Chapter 4) shines as the skeptical casting director, and Shaunette Renée Wilson (Black Panther) brings a steely gravitas to her role as the network executive determined to uphold the game show's integrity. Their performances breathe some much-needed life into a story that otherwise flattens a fascinating real-life saga.
Ultimately, The Luckiest Man in America is a mixed bag. The stellar supporting cast and the inherent absurdity of its source material keep the film from being a total misfire, but it fails to rise above being a surface-level recounting of an extraordinary tale. For all its potential, the film misses the opportunity to dig deeper into the psyche of its protagonist or capture the wild energy of his unbelievable scheme. It leaves us wondering if this story might have been luckier in different directorial hands.
MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 90 mins
Director: Samir Oliveros
Writer: Samir Oliveros; Maggie Briggs
Cast: Shamier Anderson; Haley Bennett; Brian Geraghty
Genre: Thriller | Biopic
Tagline: What's behind his winning streak?
Memorable Movie Quote: "I drive an ice cream truck"
Distributor: IFC Films
Official Site:
Release Date: April 4, 2025
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: May 1984. An unemployed ice cream truck driver steps onto the game show Press Your Luck harboring a secret: the key to endless money. But his winning streak is threatened when the bewildered executives uncover his real motivations.
