lottery ticket movie review

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Parents' guide to, lottery ticket.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 26 Reviews
• Kids Say 13 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Funny but stereotypical, overly violent comedy for teens.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this urban comedy deals with materialism, greed, crime, and community in the inner city. There's more violence than you might expect in a comedy, including guns, references to torture and prison rape, and several hand-to-hand fights. The relationship between sex and money and the concept of…

Why Age 14+?

The two most obvious product placements are Nike (specifically the Air Jordan li

Strong language is used consistently but not in every scene: "Bulls---t," "s--t,

Several women are shown wearing very skimpy outfits. One woman aggressively goes

Lots of references to crime, including an ex-con's threats, jokes about prison r

There's underage drinking at a romantic dinner, since Kevin is only 18 (no menti

Any Positive Content?

The movie has mixed messages, but the overall idea is an important one -- that a

There are a couple of positive role models -- like Kevin's best friends, Stacie

Products & Purchases

The two most obvious product placements are Nike (specifically the Air Jordan line) and Foot Locker, where the protagonist works or shops throughout the movie. Other brands mentioned or featured include Bentley, Hummer limo, and Cherry Coke.

Strong language is used consistently but not in every scene: "Bulls---t," "s--t," "ass," "bitch," "damn," "hell," one "f--k," and the "N" word (said by and to African Americans) are all used more than a few times. Also "screw," "goddamn," and "oh my God."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Several women are shown wearing very skimpy outfits. One woman aggressively goes after the lottery winner and makes it obvious she's a "sure thing." On their date, she tells him that she's slept with many powerful men; later, she tries to have unprotected sex with him (she's in a bra and panties, he's shirtless). They kiss passionately but don't actually have sex; a similar scenario occurs the next day betwen the same guy and a different girl.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

Lots of references to crime, including an ex-con's threats, jokes about prison rape and torture, fistfights (that lead to bloody mouths), and gun violence. There aren't any all-out brawls, but Kevin is beat up a couple of times, and the ex-con is always making scary threats that he delivers on later.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

There's underage drinking at a romantic dinner, since Kevin is only 18 (no mention is made of his date's age). People have cans in their hands at a barbecue, but it's unclear whether it's beer. Vague references to a character or two being involved in the drug trade, but it's not overt, and there's no drug use on screen.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

The movie has mixed messages, but the overall idea is an important one -- that all of us are partly who we are because of where we came from and that if we're lucky enough to have resources, we have a responsibility and a privilege to share those resources with our community. That's the main lesson Kevin learns ... though he also discovers just how money-hungry his friends are and that it's possible to spend $100,000 in just a couple of days. One female character makes a comment about how her body is her lottery ticket, which is a poor message to send girls -- but the movie's other main female character is ambitious and intelligent.

Positive Role Models

There are a couple of positive role models -- like Kevin's best friends, Stacie and Benny, and neighborhood hermit Mr. Washington -- but the ones who stand out are the iffier ones: the preacher who wants material riches because it's what he "deserves from God," the woman who considers her sexuality her meal ticket out of the projects, and the unredeemed criminal who doesn't think twice about stealing and threatening and using violence to get what he wants. There's also some stereotyping based on race and class.

Parents need to know that this urban comedy deals with materialism, greed, crime, and community in the inner city. There's more violence than you might expect in a comedy, including guns, references to torture and prison rape, and several hand-to-hand fights. The relationship between sex and money and the concept of becoming a "baby mama" to ensure "getting paid" is explored, and there are a couple of interrupted not-quite-sex scenes that show a shirtless guy and a lingerie-clad young woman. But despite the violence, the notable consumerism (the movie is almost like one long commercial for Nike Air Jordans), and the regular use of strong language ("s--t" and "ass" being the most frequent), the overall message is positive: that people with means should give back to their communities. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (26)
• Kids say (13)

Based on 26 parent reviews

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To restore your lost bitcoin; go to captain webgenesis., what's the story.

The Fourth of July weekend after graduating from high school, Kevin Carson ( Bow Wow ) is biding his time working at Foot Locker, buying Nike sneakers, and hanging out with his best friends, Benny ( Brandon T. Jackson ) and Stacie ( Naturi Naughton ). Kevin's grandma (Loretta Devine) asks him to play her numbers in the Mega Millions jackpot, so he spends an extra buck on a ticket for himself ... which turns out to be worth $370 million. Kevin begs his grandma to keep the jackpot a secret until he can claim the big prize in three days, but after she lets it slip to the neighborhood gossip (Charlie Murphy), everyone finds out -- including an ex-con (Gbenga Akinnagbe), a gold-digging beauty on the prowl (Teairra Mari), and Grandma's greedy preacher ( Mike Epps ). If he can weather the long weekend without getting killed or robbed, Kevin could be one very rich 18-year-old.

Is It Any Good?

Produced by Ice Cube -- who also plays the hermit of the projects, Mr. Washington -- this comedy will make you laugh. But most of the laughter will be accompanied by eye-rolling, since much of the movie's humor is based on stereotypes -- i.e. poking fun at the flamboyant preacher, the sneaker-obsessed criminals, the gorgeous baby mama looking for the next celebrity to seduce. Kevin is talented (he hopes to start a sneaker-design company) but not ambitious. And it never once occurs to him to let the media know that he has the winning ticket. With just one call to reporters, he would've saved himself three days of grief -- and pain. Instead, he seeks counsel from an "entourage" that encourages him to take out a huge six-figure loan from Sweet Tee ( Keith David ), the self-styled "Godfather of the Projects." With cash in hand, Kevin goes on a ridiculous spending spree, ignoring Stacie, his practical and smart friend, in order to take the neighborhood social climber on a date. Even a child could see who Kevin will end up with in the end.

Although LOTTERY TICKET's plot is predictable, some of the performances are entertaining enough. David, with his buttery voice and stately manner, could say the lamest line and infuse it with class -- he's just that good. Jackson, an adept comedian, is well cast as the best friend, as is Devine as the overjoyed, devout Grandma and Murphy as the bug-eyed gossip. The scene-stealer, however, is Akinnagbe -- who fans of The Wire will recognize as assassin Chris Partlow. His menacing looks -- and the way he says "squeeze" -- may make you shiver in disgust and fright. Still, a few decent performances can't raise this comedy to the level of Cube's signature Barbershop .

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the stereotypes in the movie. What are they based on? Do you think it's appropriate to play up stereotypes for humor?

What lessons do the characters learn about money and community?

How is teenage sexuality handled in the movie? Why does Nikki not want to use protection?

The movie deals with consumerism and materialism constantly. What does the movie think people need more -- things or opportunities?

Movie Details

• In theaters : August 20, 2010
• On DVD or streaming : November 16, 2010
• Cast : Bow Wow , Brandon T. Jackson , Ice Cube , Naturi Naughton
• Director : Erik White
• Inclusion Information : Black actors, Female actors
• Studio : Warner Bros.
• Genre : Comedy
• Run time : 99 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : sexual content, language including a drug reference, some violence and brief underage drinking
• Last updated : June 20, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Movie Review: ‘Lottery Ticket’

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It’s hard out there for a kid from the projects who scores a $370-million lottery payoff but who must wait for the claim office to reopen (infernal federal holiday!). Suddenly he has “a premature crack-baby felon” straight out of prison willing — eager, in fact — to kill for it. Not to mention the notorious local Jezebel interested in the young man’s company.

This is the premise of “Lottery Ticket,” an ensemble comedy from a pair of first-time feature filmmaking collaborators, screenwriter Abdul Williams and director Erik White. You know what? This movie’s good. It’s fast, deftly paced and funny, and only some misjudged violence in the last lap keeps it from being better than good.

One foot in fantasyland, the other in the real world, the picture isn’t out for anything except laughs, plus a little astute sociology. Virtually everyone on screen knows where to find those laughs, how to deliver them and how hard to push them — i.e., not so hard as to tire us out before the leading character learns of his scary stroke of luck.

The film was shot in Atlanta, but the locale is Anyproject, U.S.A. Director White (who has done scads of videos) navigates, fluidly, the denizens and the ins and outs of this sprawling development.

Protagonist Kevin, played by Bow Wow, lives with his grandmother (Loretta Devine). His best friend, Benny (Brandon T. Jackson), doesn’t understand why Kevin takes the time to help out the mysterious recluse (Ice Cube, who also executive produced) who lives in the basement. “Dude has slave dust on him,” he mutters.

In the opening scenes, lottery fever has hit the entire neighborhood, and Kevin, a Foot Locker employee who dreams of attending design school, expresses disdain for any racket “designed to keep poor people poor.”

Upon learning he has won the millions, he becomes a conflicted soul up for grabs. He must survive the next three days to cash in; as a bridge “loan” he takes a satchel of bills from the local mobster (Keith David) and goes on a tear with his cronies.

On the fly we hear throwaway lines such as Benny’s pickup attempt: “I need a girl I can take to church and the strip clubs.” It’s not polite, it’s not high-minded and it sticks to various formulas, but “Lottery Ticket” plays into the strengths of its prodigiously talented cast.

And then it sort of dies near the end. The increasing focus on sociopathic bad guy Lorenzo (Genga Akinnagbe) is sour and frightening in a non-comic way, and I really do wish the filmmakers could go back and rethink the grimly prolonged shot of Akinnagbe squeezing David’s nethers.

I was perfectly happy keeping time with everybody else in “Lottery Ticket,” notably the two leads (whose friendship is tested by the sudden arrival of millions). Kevin’s childhood pal, played by Naturi Naughton, is as sincere and easygoing as Mike Epps is hilarious in his cameo as a self-interested Baptist minister.

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Lottery Ticket Reviews

You've seen all of this before.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4.0 | Sep 14, 2020

it has about 40 minutes of story and needs to be padded out to its 99-minute running time

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 6, 2014

A tasteless and obnoxious "comedy," "Lottery Ticket" is easily one of the year's worst films.

Full Review | Original Score: 0.0/5 | Jan 5, 2013

Full Review | Original Score: B | Feb 18, 2012

Lottery Ticket is generally harmless; too slight to hold-up the more serious themes it is thinking about, but too well-meaning to be out-and-out insulting.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Mar 29, 2011

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jan 31, 2011

No doubt the characters are stereotypes, but the performances are handled with a knowing wink and a great deal of fun.

Full Review | Dec 20, 2010

The cast is terrific and the basic premise is pleasing, but a wavering tone robs Lottery Ticket of some of its power.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Nov 21, 2010

...shallow, clichéd, sentimental, and derivative; but the cast makes up for the plot's deficiencies with an amiable charm that's hard to resist.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Nov 16, 2010

If given the opportunity to see Lottery Ticket again (once was enough!), I'd break down... and buy some lottery tickets instead.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Oct 15, 2010

...a sporadically entertaining yet hopelessly uneven comedy that just doesn't work...

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Oct 10, 2010

It's remarkable how much 18-year-old Kevin has in common with Ice Cube's Craig (from Friday), as well as how few structural or political changes have occurred over the past 15 years.

Full Review | Sep 5, 2010

This Lottery Ticket doesn't pay out.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4.0 | Aug 28, 2010

'Lottery Ticket' is a winner.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 26, 2010

A low-budget comedy that's genial, morally sound and wholesome in the Barbershop mode...

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Aug 26, 2010

Droll but tepid urban-kid-hits-lotto comedy

Full Review | Original Score: C | Aug 26, 2010

There are enough stereotypes in here to get Dr. Laura frothing at the mouth -- and enough menace to merit co-writing credit for the Hughes brothers.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Aug 24, 2010

For a movie like "Lottery Ticket" to work, viewers have to feel as if they themselves have come out ahead.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Aug 20, 2010

With Ice Cube producing, and his regular buddies (Mike Epps, Terry Crews and Charlie Murphy) along for the ride, 'Lottery Ticket' is the latest charming and humorous film from the 'hood.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Aug 20, 2010

It all comes off a bit like an extended episode of "Everybody Hates Chris" with really bad language.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 20, 2010

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• TV Listings
• Cast & Crew

Lottery Ticket Reviews

• 50   Metascore
• 1 hr 39 mins
• Watchlist Where to Watch

In this outrageous comedy, a young man (Bow Wow) in the projects has a lottery ticket worth $370 million, but he must stay hidden from moochers and local thugs for a few days until he can get to the lottery office and collect his winnings. While lying low, he relies on help from his best friend and a mysterious retired boxer.

Ice Cube has built a successful film career as a producer and actor in large part because he tells stories that he has an emotional connection to, even if the movies themselves don’t seem overly concerned with much more than giving viewers a good time. Lottery Ticket is another example of Cube’s acumen. The setup is as follows: Hard-working Foot Locker salesman Kevin Carson (Bow Wow) buys a lottery ticket that ends up being worth hundreds of millions of dollars. When he goes with his best friend, fast-talking Benny (Brandon T. Jackson), to collect his winnings at the lottery office, they discover that it’s closed for a long holiday weekend. They plan to lay low for three days, but after Kevin’s grandmother blabs to the neighborhood about his windfall, the two buddies have to stay hidden from loan sharks, religious leaders, and bad guys who will do anything to get their hands on the fortune. While the script for Lottery Ticket isn’t anything special, the actors give it some life. Bow Wow and Jackson are both eager young performers, and they throw themselves into the material with a commitment that helps sell some of the lame jokes (like Kevin’s persnickety boss), and drives home the two or three great ones (like the high-rolling shopping montage). They can’t quite transcend the material, but they make it play as well as it possibly could. However, it’s Ice Cube who steals the film as Mr. Washington, a retired boxer living like a hermit in the middle of the projects. The character is full of advice, and Cube’s comic timing is pitch-perfect throughout his too-few scenes. It’s through this character that the movie gets across the big message -- the importance of taking care of your neighborhood and your people. Sure it’s a facile feel-good way to try to pin some substance on this otherwise breezy comedy, but it’s welcome -- as is the sneaking suspicion that Cube likes getting a chance to take a swipe at all the people who probably started hitting him up for money when the bucks started rolling in from his N.W.A. days. Lottery Ticket isn’t particularly memorable, but it’s filled with fun little cameos and likable performers. And, if nothing else, it shows yet again that Ice Cube got rich because he’s smart and talented, not because he hit the lottery.

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Lottery Ticket

Kevin Carson is a young man living in the projects who has to survive a three-day weekend after his opportunistic neighbors find out he's holding a winning lottery ticket worth $370 million. Kevin Carson is a young man living in the projects who has to survive a three-day weekend after his opportunistic neighbors find out he's holding a winning lottery ticket worth $370 million. Kevin Carson is a young man living in the projects who has to survive a three-day weekend after his opportunistic neighbors find out he's holding a winning lottery ticket worth $370 million.

• Abdul Williams
• Brandon T. Jackson
• Naturi Naughton
• 30 User reviews
• 61 Critic reviews
• 50 Metascore

Top cast 76

• Kevin Carson
• (as Bow Wow)

• Mr. Washington

• Jimmy the Driver

• Reverend Taylor

• (as Malieek W. Straughter)

• Nikki Swayze

• (as Faheem Najm)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia Shad Moss , Brandon T. Jackson , Charlie Murphy and Mike Epps previously starred together in Roll Bounce (2005) .

Mr. Washington : Read him a bedtime story!

• Connections Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: The Last Exorcism/Piranha 3D/Vampires Suck (2010)
• Soundtracks Workin' Man Blues Written by Aceyalone (as Eddie Hayes) and Stefon Taylor Performed by Aceyalone ft. Bionik Courtesy of Decon

User reviews 30

• riva-910-797068
• Jan 2, 2011
• How long is Lottery Ticket? Powered by Alexa
• August 20, 2010 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• Büyük İkramiye
• Atlanta, Georgia, USA
• Alcon Entertainment
• Burg/Koules Productions
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $17,000,000 (estimated)
• $24,719,879
• $10,652,297
• Aug 22, 2010

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 39 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Movie Review: “Lottery Ticket”

High school grad Kevin Carson (Bow Wow) is trying to make a decent life in the projects while dodging the recently sprung local superthug Lorenzo (Gbenga Akinnagbe). When a run-in with Lorenzo at work costs him his job, he uses the numbers printed on a fortune cookie he had during lunch with his lifelong friend Stacie (Naturi Naughton) and plays the lottery, estimated at $370 million. Against all odds, he wins, and now the entire neighborhood is shaking him down for money. The catch is that it’s a holiday weekend, and he can’t turn in the winning ticket for three days, an eternity when it comes to eluding Lorenzo.

Here’s how this movie ends in the real world: even if Kevin is able to live long enough to cash in the ticket, Lorenzo still kills him. If Kevin manages to build enough layers to keep Lorenzo from getting to him, local “businessman” Sweet Tee (Keith David), who lends Kevin a generous advance until he can cash in the ticket, surely will, bleeding Kevin dry for the rest of his life on the exorbitant interest rate that comes with doing a deal with a gangster. None of this, of course, happens in the movie. Instead, these two very serious situations are dealt with in a rather (which is to say, ridiculously) simplistic manner. It makes you wonder if the script originally began as a serious meditation on the ills of instant fortune, only to be tweaked in production when some (ahem, white) studio suit who makes $5 million a year barked, “In this economy, no one wants to see a movie that complains about how hard it is to get rich quick. Be more funny.”

And the thing is, that imaginary suit has a point. This movie should be funny. The problem is that it should be funnier. Instead it wrings its humor from the Jim Bakker-esque preacher who wants to take Kevin’s newfound money to build a church the size of the Mall of America, or the HPOA girl on the block Nikki (the aforementioned Mari) blatantly seducing Kevin with one goal in mind. Stereotypes have their place in movies like this, but they are all that is holding this one together. Luckily, the three leads give the proceedings some heart, particularly Naughton and Jackson as Bow Wow’s closest (read: only) friends. No one else is given enough depth to matter, not even the movie’s executive producer Ice Cube as the allegedly crazy Mr. Washington, though T-Pain has an amusing supporting role as the owner of the Kwik-E-Mart where Kevin purchased his ticket.

A closer look on IMDb reveals that “Lottery Ticket” director Erik White and screenwriter Abdul Williams are both making their feature film debuts with this movie. There is a punch line sitting out there, but the other simple fact of the matter is that everyone has to start somewhere. Not everyone debuts with “Reservoir Dogs,” or “Boyz ‘n the Hood,” or “Blood Simple.” Some start with movies like “Piranha Part Two: The Spawning” (James Cameron), or “Alien³” (David Fincher). White and Williams chose to make their bones with “Lottery Ticket,” and to be honest, it was a good choice. There are no expectations on them, and if they play their cards right, things will only get better for them from here. The only question left, dear reader, is whether you’re willing to pay money to see a movie that stands to benefit the filmmakers more than it benefits you.

2 / 5 Stars Starring: Bow Wow, Brandon T. Jackson, Naturi Naughton, Loretta Devine, Ice Cube, Keith David, Terry Crews, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Faheem Najm, Mike Epps Director: Erik White

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