How winning the lottery is depicted in most Hollywood movies is quite fascinating. You see, any movie screenwriter or director will tell you that a good plot must have these three elements: challenge, conflict, and character.
As such, Tinseltown sometimes borrows heavily from captivating stories about winning the lottery because such stories tend to portray the concept of hope, opportunity and the allure of big wins, which makes for a good plot in film production.
Typically, the tropes associated with Hollywood lottery movies are so well crafted that they’ve become inspirations to many lottery players across the world. Some viewers have even gone to the extent of tracking down winning lottery numbers from movies and tv shows, hoping to hit the jackpot.
To show you how Tinseltown has taken chances to depict the captivating allure of winning the lottery and what happens next after winning, this write-up discusses four of the best lottery movies you should watch today. Read on!
- It Could Happen To You
This 1994 movie is based on a true story. Its plot revolves around romance, generosity, and greed. It’s about a police officer named Charlie, who after dining realises he doesn’t have money to tip a waitress named Yvone. So, Charlie (played by Nicholas Cage) suggests that he pay Yvonne (played by Bridget Fonda) a double tip or share with her half of his prospective lottery winnings the following day.
Surprisingly, Charlie wins $4 million and keeps his promise to Fonda despite his wife’s protests.
This romantic comedy movie depicts Charlie’s wife (Muriel) as selfish, greedy, and materialistic. On the other hand, Yvonne is a kind and generous waitress who is on the verge of divorcing her estranged husband, Eddie.
Be sure to watch this romantic masterpiece to know how the story ends.
- Jerry and Merge Go Large
This movie portrays how doing small things with the people we love can bring out the best in each and every one of us. Also based on a true story, Jerry and Merge Go Large tells the remarkable story of a retired maths teacher who discovers a loophole in a local lottery, and after sharing the news with his wife, they devise a plan to revive their small town.
They form a corporation and go on a lottery-buying spree, purchasing thousands of tickets to help them achieve their goals. However, a problem arises when a Havard student discovers the loophole as well. It’s particularly a good watch for those who like drama, biography-like films.
- Lottery Ticket
The Lottery Ticket primarily focuses on the young audience (teens). The plot of this 2010 comedy movie revolves around opportunists trying to take advantage of a young man’s lottery winnings.
The story is about Kevin Carson, who finds himself with a lottery ticket worth $370 million. Kevin must get his fortune as soon as possible. However, upon visiting the claims office, he finds it closed and doesn’t reopen until the next three days.
Now, Kevin has to spend the next three days trying to evade his suddenly friendly neighbours, who are trying to take advantage of the situation.
With the news all over his neighbourhood, will Kevin manage to preserve the ticket?
- Finder’s Fee
Finder’s Fee is a great film with a rather confusing plot twist. This thriller movie contains some elements of realism and intense sequences, and the fact that it’s based on a real-life incident that happened to its director, Jeff Probst, makes it even more fascinating.
The main character, Tepper, finds a wallet while headed home from work. After informing the wallet owner by telephone, he realises that it contains a lottery ticket worth $6 million.
In a dramatic turn of events, Teppe’s friends join him at his home for their usual poker night. According to their playing rules, everyone must buy a lottery ticket, and after pooling them together, the winner of the game takes all tickets, including all the winnings they may have.
The plot thickens when the real ticket owner arrives to collect his wallet and finds his ticket pooled together with the others, resulting in him deciding to play the game as well. This award-winning film is a must-see if you are into thriller movies.
Final Thought
Famously known for its ability to capture viewers’ emotions and attention, Tinseltown has relied on real-life events to produce some of the best movies that have captured the imaginations of movie lovers for years.
So, if you are in a situation where you can’t decide on what to watch, pick any movie from our list above. The way lottery tropes in these movies are woven into our societal values and human psyche, the films above are bound to captivate your heart and even inspire you.