191. THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA (2025) dir. Samir Oliveros

THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA stars Paul Walter Hauser as Michael Larson, an ice cream truck driver who travels from Ohio to California with hopes of contesting for the Big Bucks on PRESS YOUR LUCK.What follows is a lucky streak that'll put Larson in the history books...that is, if the game show execs don't discover his secret and pull the plug.Director/co-writer Samir Oliveros has crafted a story for the outsiders, the people uncomfortable walking the tried-and-true paved paths to success. Michael's an anxious guy; he's got everything on the line and a history of increasingly risky methods of making it work. From the lighting to the sound design to Hauser's performance, the movie delves into Michael's interior, turning game show glitz against him, putting me in the perspective of a guy who sees his window of fame and quick cash shrinking by the second. The beast of a game board hums and growls, ready at any second to snap its jaws and send Michael back north. But much like an avid lion tamer, Michael's got some tricks up his sleeve and for once, the wild card has a foolproof plan, steeped in his authenticity. It makes for a brilliant character arc and gives THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA its tender, beating heart.THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA is now available to watch at a theater near you. And when you return home, go catch Samir Oliveros' debut BAD LUCKY GOAT for free on Tubi. It's a goddamn gem.---Follow The Movies on Instagram & LetterboxdThrow a couple dollars in the tip jar!