Lucky Break Review
Peter_Cattaneo can't exactly be accused of adding to the parade of Full_Monty rip-offs. After all, he directed The_Full_Monty, so he's only stealing from himself. But that doesn't change the fact that his prison comedy, Lucky Break, once again gathers all the standard characters and contrivances of Monty's dogged army of successors, which have surfaced with machine-like regularity since its release. However, it should be noted that Cattaneo has a special talent for the "blokes in a pickle" sub-genre he pioneered, which alleviates some of the familiarity. His casting is especially strong. James_Nesbitt, the jovial pig farmer from Waking_Ned_Devine, matches well with Lennie_James, a bumbling diamond thief in Snatch, to form the film's central partnership. The producer/director then fills in the edges with established touches of class: Timothy_Spall, Olivia_Williams, and Christopher_Plummer. The performers lend some credibility to a script that is otherwise by the numbers, relying on its spry tone to earn limited favor. Because the film is permeated by a sense that nothing could ever really go wrong, it makes Cattaneo's few attempts at serious prison commentary seem misplaced and unconvincing. Too bad, because this limits the wonderful Spall's effectiveness in the one truly dramatic role. Derek Armstrong, Rovi
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