Bow Wow stars as Kevin - a hard working teen who dreams of designing sneakers for a living, but has to settle for working at Foot Locker while trying to take care of his Grandmother (Loretta Devine). Grandma loves playing the lottery every week, and the entire city is captivated with the chance to win $370 million. Of course, Kevin is not a big believer, but promises Grandma he will buy her normal tickets on his way home. Once there, Kevin decides to take a chance, and wins.However, instead of getting that big check and going on a trip around the world, it's Fourth of July weekend, and Kevin must survive until Tuesday to cash in the ticket, but he's being pursued by everyone who wants a loan, has a business idea, and decides to befriend him after previously treating him like dirt. One guy even thinks he can steal the ticket and claim the winnings for himself.
Will Kevin make it through the weekend?
Will he discover his true friends and those who care about him for his heart instead of his impending bank account size?
The Lottery Ticket should be a lighthearted and goofy movie, but it takes several dark turns that aren't necessary and ruin the film. Sure, director Erik White and writer Abdul Williams bring some silly situations to the movie, and it becomes very cartoonish at times, but that's much easier to enjoy than the overly phony platitudes they insert about how Kevin needs to give back to the neighborhood and the violent aspects of The Lottery Ticket (when you see what token he gives back to the neighborhood, you'll see what I mean).
The Lottery Ticket gets too scary and dark at times as local tough guy and ex-con Lorenzo (Gbenga Akinnagbe, a graduate of Rockville's Magruder High School) is hunting down Kevin and his friends to beat him up, steal the lottery ticket and claim the winnings as his own out of revenge for an earlier incident in the movie.
Then, as if that isn't bad enough, the local mafia-like Godfather, Sweet Tee (Keith David), tries to muscle in on the action, which also darkens the tone.
The Lottery Ticket should be a fantasy and wish fulfillment kind of movie. This stuff, plus all of the imposed drama between Kevin, gal pal Stacie (Naturi Naughton) and best bud Benny (Brandon T. Jackson), along with a sad story about the local hottie, Nikki Swayze (Teairra Mari), who wants to cozy up to any successful guy, which adds a very desperate, calculating nature to her character, is all downer material.
The Lottery Ticket needs to lighten up.
1 ½ Waffles (Out of 4)
The Lottery Ticket is rated PG-13 for sexual content, language including a drug reference, some violence and brief underage drinking.
The Lottery Ticket should be a lighthearted and goofy movie, but it takes several dark turns that aren't necessary and ruin the film. Sure, director Erik White and writer Abdul Williams bring some silly situations to the movie, and it becomes very cartoonish at times, but that's much easier to enjoy than the overly phony platitudes they insert about how Kevin needs to give back to the neighborhood and the violent aspects of The Lottery Ticket (when you see what token he gives back to the neighborhood, you'll see what I mean).
The Lottery Ticket gets too scary and dark at times as local tough guy and ex-con Lorenzo (Gbenga Akinnagbe, a graduate of Rockville's Magruder High School) is hunting down Kevin and his friends to beat him up, steal the lottery ticket and claim the winnings as his own out of revenge for an earlier incident in the movie.
Then, as if that isn't bad enough, the local mafia-like Godfather, Sweet Tee (Keith David), tries to muscle in on the action, which also darkens the tone.
The Lottery Ticket should be a fantasy and wish fulfillment kind of movie. This stuff, plus all of the imposed drama between Kevin, gal pal Stacie (Naturi Naughton) and best bud Benny (Brandon T. Jackson), along with a sad story about the local hottie, Nikki Swayze (Teairra Mari), who wants to cozy up to any successful guy, which adds a very desperate, calculating nature to her character, is all downer material.
The Lottery Ticket needs to lighten up.
1 ½ Waffles (Out of 4)
The Lottery Ticket is rated PG-13 for sexual content, language including a drug reference, some violence and brief underage drinking.
