LUCK (ODEON FILMS, 2002)

By Rick Jackson

Written and directed by Peter Wellington, Luck triumphs as a smart, witty film about a group of underachievers who like to bet. Using the Canada/Russia hockey series from 1972 as a backdrop, it carefully plots the intricacies of gambling by letting you see what happens when the gambler both wins and loses.

Luke Kirby is perfectly cast as Shane Bradley, the 28‑year‑old who agrees to look after Margaret's cat while she goes to England with her ex‑boyfriend. With her absence comes another shocking discovery for Shane; his luck has disappeared, too. When he makes a deal with a loan shark to pay it back, he goes deeper in debt and suffers physical pain. In an inspirational moment with his friends, Andrew, Vittorio and Robbie (Jed Rees, Sergio Di Zeo, and Noam Jenkins) they all become bookmakers during the Canada‑Russia hockey series. They first start making money by betting against Canada and lose $15 million. Margaret's return means Shane's luck has, too, and you are left hoping it does as the last scene fades to black and the end credits roll.

Cast as Margaret is Sarah Polley, who gained international recognition with her critically‑acclaimed performance in Atom Egoyan's The Sweet Hereafter. Last year she was effective as a dying mother and wife in My Life Without Me. In Luck, she plays the understanding friend who helps Shane.

Wellington captures the excitement of the Canada‑Russia series and for sports fans who remember 1972 it will be deja vu. For those who weren't around, it shows a piece of Canadian sports history relived in the guise of a fictional drama where one individaul (Shane) is the main focus. When he pushes his luck too far, he finds out there are serious consequences.

Luck is a good character study about gambling and how long fate is on your side.

February 7, 2004