What can we say about Erik White’s “The Lottery Ticket” starring Bow Wow, Ice Cube and Brandon T. Jackson? Unfortunately, not much. Opening up harmlessly enough, we were sort of just hoping for a simple diverting comedy with no deeper expectations, but aside from an excellent bit-part by T-Pain in as a bodega clerk who sells lotto tickets to the neighborhood, “The Lottery Ticket” has a paucity of memorable laughs.
And yes, while there are some amusing moments courtesy of comedians like Mike Epps and Charlie Murphy (who was so good on “Chappelle’s Show,” he may never get out from under that shadow), laughs are more like mild guffaws and chuckles then any deep-seated gutbusters and most of it it is far too broad for true enjoyment (luckily, it’s not very offensive).
The film does have a great premise, transposing a Cinderella-like story to the ghetto in Atlanta when a young man living in the projects (a serviceable Bow Wow) has to survive a three-day l0ng-weekend after his opportunistic neighbors find out he’s holding a winning lottery ticket worth $370 million. And while mildly entertaining at first, especially in celebration of African-American stereotypes — trying lovingly to take them back, rather than grotesquely exploit them like some black comedies are wont to do — the picture quickly falls into a rote malaise that’s all too familiar and predictable (it also stars Keith David, Naturi Naughton, Loretta Devine and Bill Bellamy).
Problems deepen when local hood criminal Lorenzo (“The Wire” star Gbenga Akinnagbe looking even fiercer than his role in that drama) gets out of prison and Bow Wow’s Kevin Carson character inadvertently double crosses him when the goon tries to take Air Jordans for free from the Foot Locker the boy slaves away at.
But the lazy picture is generally careless and scattershot in tone, even for what should be a fun little comedy and then becomes further confused in the third act which blends uplifting and inspirational church-like, “you can do it!” messaging with some “Boyz N’ The Hood”-like sub drama. This tenor, almost in opposition to what has come before, isn’t particularly poignant and is all surface level…and well, kind of ruins it if you’re just looking to have a good time. The “my boy” best-friends estranged drama that rears its head between Jackson (from “Tropic Thunder”) and Bow Wow later in the picture isn’t particularly strong either and just feels like a obligatory 2nd act problem rather than an organic difficulty that arises from the narrative.
What’s worse is the Ben Kenobi wise-man figure played by Ice Cube essentially saves the day in the finale, eliminating the protagonist any kind of chance to redeem himself, learn any kind of valuable lesson or man-up and stick up for himself. “The Lottery Ticket” isn’t a terrible picture per se, it’s just a wholly unremarkable one that we can’t at all recommend you spend your money on. [C]
