As a film enthusiast with over two decades of watching movies under my belt, I must say that “Jackpot!” is a rollercoaster ride of action, comedy, and a dash of Hollywood satire. It’s not often you see a lottery gone awry turned into an exhilarating chase through the streets of Los Angeles, and Paul Feig does a commendable job of keeping the audience on their toes.
In my opinion, the action comedy genre usually leans towards predictable, featuring run-of-the-mill gunfights interspersed with jokes from comedians who used to be on “Saturday Night Live”. However, “Jackpot!” on Prime Video brings a refreshing change, as director Paul Feig creates humor through inventive action sequences that are bound to tickle your funny bone. This might involve scenes like Awkwafina seeking refuge amidst the tacky wax figures of a Hollywood museum or the amusing sight of John Cena battling a roomful of black belts with “Crazy Rich Asians” breakout star strapped onto his back.
The California lottery has made an unexpected twist: If you win, you have to stay alive until sunset, or risk losing your prize! This new rule sets the stage for a dangerous game in Los Angeles streets, where winners become targets with their winnings serving as a bounty for whoever manages to eliminate them.
I’d like to clarify that my comments are not meant as criticism towards Rob Yescombe, who was recognized as one of EbMaster‘s Screenwriters to Watch last year. However, the concept presented in his screenplay, while intriguing, seemed to have only reached a certain level of development. The script appeared somewhat disorganized overall, but it was supported by the cast’s improvisation and some surprisingly humorous fight sequences.
The comic character Katie Kim, a former child actor who’s reluctant to perform again due to financial necessity following her irresponsible stage father’s disappearance with her earnings, exhibits both a prickly and clueless demeanor. In her initial, embarrassingly awkward audition, she unwittingly finds a lottery ticket in her pocket, accidentally scratches it open with her thumb, and before she knows it, she’s catapulted to instant stardom: the most sought-after individual in all of Los Angeles.
Fortunately for her, a freelance bodyguard named Noel (Cena), resembling a bulky Kool-Aid Man, forcefully breaks through the wall. He begins to clash heads with assailants. In the upcoming era, he’s similar to a lawyer who chases ambulances, but in this case, he’s a much-needed ally for Katie to evade her self-proclaimed admirers. It’s revealed that not everyone intends to harm her. However, just like an astute talent agent, he demands a 10% cut of the deal.
There are traces running all through “Jackpot!” of a more pointed Hollywood satire, as if Yescombe or Feig or someone along the way wanted to skewer Americans’ obsession with becoming rich and famous. Weirdly enough, Katie doesn’t want either. She didn’t buy the ticket, but found it in a borrowed pair of gold lamé sweatpants. Stranger still, the movie seems to have landed on the word “weird” at the same moment that VP candidate Tim Walz made it the insult du jour, adding an unexpected resonance to some of the movie’s weaker jabs.
“The role of ‘Jackpot!’ calls for a more intricate form of physical humor than Awkwafina has tackled so far. Despite her character being intended to be bumbling and inept, it requires real talent to execute the comedy routines that action choreographer James Young has planned. Coming from a WWE background, Cena is more familiar with making staged fights look exciting, but he once again showcases his good-natured sense of humor (as he did earlier this year in ‘Ricky Stanicky’).”
13 years ago, Feig achieved comedy success with “Bridesmaids,” a Judd Apatow production. Since then, his work has been somewhat inconsistent as he’s attempted to explore other genres, such as the disappointing YA fantasy movie “The School for Good and Evil.” Sandwiched between “The Heat” and the 2016 “Ghostbusters” remake, “Jackpot!” sees Feig returning comfortably to his preferred style, relying on techniques that proved effective in “Bridesmaids,” although lacking the emotional resonance of its exceptional script.
The most obvious of those strategies comes in casting, which he entrusts to secret weapon Allison Jones, who’s been unearthing funny people for him and Apatow as far back as “Freaks & Geeks.” (It was Jones who brought Seth Rogen and Melissa McCarthy into the mix.) Here she delivers half a dozen diverse, laugh-out-loud supporting comics to the ensemble, from Katie’s insensitive/homicidal Airbnb host (Ayden Mayeri) to the shady leader of the Lottery Protection Agency (Simu Liu), who’s looking to steal Noel’s fee for himself. She even enlists Machine Gun Kelly, who proves a self-deprecating good sport in playing a panic-room-ready version of himself.
The “Jackpot!” movie script is brimming with unexpected twists, yet most won’t catch you off guard, so let’s save those revelations for the big screen. This puts the onus on how effectively Awkwafina and her co-stars can liven up their scenes. In essence, “Jackpot!” turns out to be one of those films where it’s evident that numerous jokes were attempted, and the editor chose the funniest ones. However, the joke-filled end credits hint at even funnier alternatives that didn’t make the cut. It’s fitting that Katie’s survival hinges on her quick thinking, given that the film itself relies heavily on improvisation. This very talent could make Awkwafina a millionaire.
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2024-08-15 13:20