Lee (Mitchell Fisher) is struggling. He’s between jobs, has a homeless friend crashing on the couch, and now he’s been in a bar fight resulting in an assault charge. His estranged father uses his pull as a police officer to have the charge written off, but he says it’s the last time. Unable to relax and finding his fridge empty, Lee makes his way to a nearby corner store. There he meets Ruby (Niamh Branigan), a part-time newsie and aspiring dentist, and buys a lottery ticket. She then closes the shop and they share a drink, bonding quickly.
While walking her home, she warns him that he shouldn’t accompany her all the way and gives him her phone number, scribbling it on the back of the lottery ticket. Lee returns home to catch the monthly drawing and is stunned when his numbers are read. However, he doesn’t have time to celebrate as a large man barges into his home, assaults him, and takes Ruby’s number written on the back of Lee’s winning ticket.
This surprisingly thrilling drama is a slow burn but like many of the best thrillers, this keeps the viewer invested. Lottery is a serious drama and its characters have serious problems. Twenty-something-year-old Lee has recently lost his mother to cancer, causing him to become estranged from his father whom he simply refers to as ‘Jez.’ There are elements of the film which are utterly outstanding, including a Memento-esque use of choppy cuts to represent periods of unconsciousness or moments that Lee zones out.
The overall quality of this movie was outstanding. Lottery had no issues worth mentioning here. Fans of British film and television will recognize a few veterans of the industry such as Ryan Davies and Mitchell Fisher. In all, Lottery is a simple and compelling thriller any fan of the genre will enjoy watching. Highly Recommended.
Where does this title belong on public library shelves?
Lottery would be a perfect fit for both thriller and drama shelves.
What type of film series could this film be used in?
Lottery would be an excellent addition to a series about modern thrillers.