"We've encountered an issue... Someone overlooked this fellow's background." IFC Films has unveiled an official trailer for "The Luckiest Man In America," an indie thriller grounded in an astonishing true tale from the 1980s, marking the sophomore feature directorial effort of filmmaker Samir Oliveros. Having made its debut at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival, this captivating narrative will soon grace US theaters in April. Prepare to be transported behind the scenes of one of game show history's most notorious chapters, where an unemployed ice cream truck driver, armed with a formidable secret, connives his way onto CBS's "Press Your Luck."
Set against the backdrop of May 1984, "The Luckiest Man In America" unfolds as an Ohio-based ice cream truck driver, portrayed by Paul Walter Hauser, steps onto the "Press Your Luck" stage clutching a monumental secret: the master key to limitless wealth. However, his unprecedented winning spree is jeopardized when baffled executives in the control room start to peel back the layers of his true intentions.
Starring alongside Hauser are Walton Goggins, Shamier Anderson, David Strathairn, Maisie Williams, Patti Harrison, Brian Geraghty, Haley Bennett, and Johnny Knoxville, the film promises to captivate and intrigue. While it evokes comparisons to last year's game show thriller "Woman of the Hour," "The Luckiest Man In America" harbors a unique narrative depth all its own. For those curious, a comprehensive Wikipedia entry chronicles the real-life protagonist's ingenious tactics. Alternatively, you can wait with bated breath to witness it on the big screen next month.
What fuels his unprecedented winning streak? Based on an enthralling true story, "The Luckiest Man In America" transportation us back to May 1984, where an unemployed Ohio ice cream truck driver, Michael Larson (Paul Walter Hauser), boards "Press Your Luck" with a profound secret: the means to amass boundless sums of money. Yet, his winning run teeters on the brink as bewildered executives in the control room begin to unravel his genuine motives.
Colombian indie filmmaker Samir Oliveros, who helmed "Bad Lucky Goat" (2017) among other short films, directs this compelling feature, written by Maggie Briggs and Oliveros himself. Produced by Amanda Freedman, the film premiered at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival but has remained largely under wraps until now. IFC Films will release Oliveros' "The Luckiest Man In America" in select US theaters starting April 4th, 2025. Are you intrigued?
