"The Luckiest Man in America" explores the dynamics behind game show luck

Character actor Paul Walter Hauser returns to the biopic genre with director Samir Oliveros in The Luckiest Man in America from IFC Films. Oliveros and Maggie Briggs wrote the screenplay. The story revolves around a scandal that took place in 1984 involving ice cream truck driver Michael Larson, who won the game show Press Your Luck.

As a child of the eighties, I remember being home from school in the summer and always laughing at the Whammy character from the show Press Your Luck. It wasn't until I was in my forties that I discovered a scandal behind the game show.

The surreal spectacle of Michael Larson's appearance on Press Your Luck is one of television history's most unforgettable moments since 1984. The events that transpired during the episode became more than typical game show entertainment; they became an extraordinary televised demonstration of defiance.

Hauser brings to life Michael Larson, an Ohio ice cream truck driver who defied convention through striking theatrics. Although his actions may have been wrong, we still find ourselves rooting for him. Michael Larson's interactions with stagehand Sylvia (Maisie Williams) and aggressive producer Chuck (Shamier Anderson) immediately reveal his intent to defeat the system. The movie avoids explaining Larson's code-cracking process, so viewers hoping for a humorous eighties rock montage showing Larson with his obsessive gaze and VCR as he solves the "Big Board" mystery will likely be disappointed.

The story maintains its gripping nature through multiple levels of tension. The narrative takes on a David-versus-Goliath theme because this ordinary person uses only patience and pattern recognition to dismantle a complex entertainment system. But there's also a creeping unease: Was this a display of a genius's abilities or an exposure of the system's delicate structure based on perceived randomness?

David Stratharin plays legendary television producer Bill Carruthers, whose increasing panic becomes amusing, while Walton Goggins portrays host Peter Tomarken, whose disbelief turns into a determination to continue with the show. The producers deserve praise for their decision to keep the focus of the crowd rooting on Larson and the game instead of using it for comedic purposes.

The Luckiest Man in America spans 90 minutes, and Larson won over $100,000 before his life descended into scandal and obscurity. Sadly, the movie does not detail Larson's life after his victory, so I searched for his post-win fate. The film includes only a single scene featuring Haley Benett as his ex-wife, who watches the show with their daughter but misses an opportunity to display his later schemes through a montage.

The Luckiest Man in America suits viewers interested in films about a man winning a game show. A deeper examination reveals that this narrative explores the themes of obsession and exploitation, as well as the fine distinction between genius and insanity.

Final Grade: B

The Luckiest Man in America is in theaters now