You know the feeling of disappointment when you lose on a lottery ticket? Even though you knew the chances were slim to none, there was still a shred of hope that this might be your lucky day. Watching Jackpot takes that feeling and dials it up to the max, in what is easily one of the worst movies of the year.
Paul Feig has given us some great comedies in the past - Bridesmaids and Spy in particular are absolutely hysterical. He’s also responsible for directing some of the best episodes of The Office. Even his lesser efforts like 2016’s Ghostbusters have moments that showcase his talent behind the camera. I don’t remember the last time I watched a comedy that misses the mark with its humour as frequently as Jackpot does. It’s not for lack of trying, either. This movie berates you with joke after joke in rapid succession, and if I were to ballpark a percentage of them that got a laugh, it would be below 10%. It’s to a point that it isn’t just unfunny, it’s downright grating.
There was potential for something fun with the concept - a comedic version of The Purge crossed with a high stakes game of tag - but the plot is thin, illogical and blandly predictable. I kept trying to shut my brain off, but the nonsensical character choices and lame plot devices had me constantly furrowing my brow in frustration. Everyone behaves like a dim witted cartoon character, but not in an enjoyable way like with “Hundreds of Beavers”.
When it comes to her comedic roles, I find a little bit of Awkwafina goes a long way. This is a lot of Awkwafina, and my god, she’s downright insufferable at times. Her trademark quippy, goofball demeanour might’ve worked if the writing was good, but it’s not. Cena’s proven capable of elevating some truly awful material, and his line delivery did get a few chuckles from me here and there. That’s about as far as it goes though - chuckles, not laughter. Their chemistry together is serviceable, but I think it’s mostly due to both of them being charismatic actors than anything else.
Jackpot is a bust - a huge misfire for both its director and stars. If I were a betting man, I’d wager this will be one of the worst movies you watch all year.