Fresh and Exciting

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Three stars given strictly for three wonderfully talented actors - McAdams, Pena, Robbins - who, regrettably, had zero opportunity to display such talent in this turkey. Not to malign turkeys.As for the rest of the cast? They all "acted" like they had something better to do...which, in the case of this flick, they probably did. Regardless, for the simple fact of being paid, one should give more than a listless performance. Hey, maybe another three stars for "phoning it in."Writing: inane drivel. Directing: lacklustre at best. Most annoying: the constant "You OK? You OK?" filler dialogue. Film could have been good. Wasn't. IMO.

Written and directed by Neil Burger, "The Lucky Ones" tells the story of three United States Army soldiers who return from the 2003 US invasion of Iraq to embark on an unplanned road trip across the United States. The film is a fairly faithful update of William Wyler's "The Best Years of Our Lives" and Hal Ashby's "The Last Detail", though Burger claims never to have seen the former film.Like Wyler's film, which was also ironically titled, "The Lucky Ones" centres on three servicemen of different social strata, rank and age. There's Sgt Cheaver (Tim Robbins), who's wrestling with a divorce and financial problems, Pvt Colee Dunn (Rachel McAdams), who's struggling to cope with a wounded leg, poverty and isolation, and Sgt Poole (Michael Pena), whose sex organs have been severely damaged by a piece of shrapnel.There's a lot of good stuff in the film. Burger's direction is gentle, easygoing and relaxed, our trio of characters are both likable and pleasantly low-key, the gang's road trip is immensely fun and the film features a number of fine conversations. Unfortunately "The Lucky Ones" also contains a number of absolutely god-awful scenes which totally kill the picture. Such heavy handed atrocities – scenes which would embarrass most writers - include a sudden marital break-up, an out-of-nowhere argument over a locked car, a ridiculous car crash and a LITERAL TORNADO ATTACK. Half this movie is a masterpiece of low key observation, the other half is an embarrassment. What's going on?Still, mentally filter out these terrible moments and the film has a lot to recommend. Burger positions us to sympathise with these soldiers, shows how the army exploits minorities and the marginalised, how each of these characters has absolutely no place to go, no one to take them in but the Armed Forces, how the military engenders dependency, how enlistees treat income and institutional connection as a bigger priority than the larger ethical and political ramifications of War, how the Army neuters ideological conflict (within its staff), how civilians (on either end of the political spectrum) condescendingly treat soldiers, how the military experience is completely divorced from the every-day reality of most Americans, how soldiers oft return home to a kind of soft segregation, how the soldiering class is almost a class unto itself, often unable to mingle comfortably with others, how the army compensates for weak egos and becomes an almost cultic figure for the disenfranchised etc etc. This is an unusually perceptive film. But a frustrating one too, because for every good sequence there's an abomination which makes you want to gouge your eyes out.7.9/10 – Frustrating.

Do you feel lucky? The lucky ones sure do. Who are the lucky ones? Rachel Adams, Tim Robbins, and Michael Pena star lighthearted road movie about three injury soldiers on the way back from duty, trying to head home across America. They are forced to drive together in a car, due to sudden black out forces all flights out of New York to be canceled. Each one has a purpose to get home, but on the way, the journey turns into self-discovery as all of them, learn a little bit more of themselves and each other through laughter and hardship. Tim Robbins is Cheaver--- a middle age soldier with a broken back who come back to a broken home- full of a wife who wants a divorce and a son who needs $20,000 for college. Rachel Adams is Colee who lost her friend and wants to find his family in order to return his guitar and live with them since she's lost any ties with her own. Last is Michael Pena whom is TK who suffered a wound that has made him impotent trying to go to Las Vegas for treatment. Each character has it faults and charms. It's really funny and intelligent— but there are scenes that make you questions what message are they trying to show. There are hints of anti-war messages, while addressing the pros and cons of army life but all three understand their life in duties in the armed forces. -Three strong performances from three solid actors. A great watch in and out. Check it out

It's not about where you go ... it's about the way/road and how you are going to cross that, to get there. In other words, it's about the journey. It's about the fact, that while you are on your way, things (and maybe you) will change. It's about your flaws, about your personality and how you that will mix up with other people. It's about a story written in a great way and played by some great actors.Rachel McAdams has the looks, but she also has the talent. You might not agree with the political statements Tim Robbins makes, but you can't fault his acting abilities. I forgot the name of the third lead, but I have seen him in a quite a few movies and he does deliver here too. A story more about the people, than any political statement. And that might be something, that some people will miss out in this. Like "what is the point?".But that's exactly it. How can you explain life? How can you explain fully what you (or the characters in this case) are doing? You just can't. So the director (and screenwriter) stay true to just tell the story. And this works very fine.