1. Huck Cheever - Lucky You (2007)
Warner Bros.There are a handful of really good films which are either about poker or which involve poker to a large extent. The Sting has all the tricks and double-dealing; Casino Royale has plenty of tension; Croupier is a very underrated British thriller; and Rounders finds a young Matt Damon showing us just how good he is. There are, however, an equal number of poker films which are flimsy and boring, including The Cincinnati Kid, 21 and Lucky You. Lucky You is directed by Curtis Hanson, who previously helmed 8 Mile and the Oscar-winning L. A. Confidential. It stars Bana as Huck Greever, an overly competitive poker player who is trying to win enough money to get a seat at the World Series of Poker Main Event. One night at a party he meets aspiring singer Billie Offer (Drew Barrymore), and the pair start dating despite warnings from Billie's older sister (Debra Messing). The rest of the film sees the pair fall in and out of love as Greever comes closer to his dream, along with a sub-plot about his estranged father (Robert Duvall) Lucky You is a bland and syrupy offering which demonstrates just how far Hanson's career has fallen. The poker scenes are shot without any real energy or dexterity, and everything either side is as formulaic as a Meg Ryan chick flick. Having turned in many performances where he seemed confused, uncertain or just plain miscast, Bana commits the cardinal sin here of being boring. He's neither suave and appealing enough to make us genuinely take an interest in him, nor sleazy enough to have any kind of bad boy appeal. For an actor renowned for his energy and commitment in his best work, this is a damning indictment, and it remains the lowest ebb of his career.
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