Lucky Day (2002) starring Amanda Donohoe, Gregor Törzs, Karen LeBlanc, Andrew Gillies, Guylaine St-Onge, Tony Lo Bianco directed by Penelope Buitenhuis Movie Review

Lucky Day (2002)   2/52/52/52/52/5


Amanda Donohoe in Lucky Day (2002)

The Old Bill won't Listen About Old Bill

Whilst some people may choose to watch "Lucky Day" because it is an adaptation of a Mary Higgins Clark story my reason to watch was Amanda Donohoe who ever since seeing her in "The Lair of the White Worm" have been a fan of. And to be honest Amanda Donohoe is for me the best thing about this routine made for TV movie which if you are not use to this sort of cheaply made production will border on the bad. That doesn't mean it isn't bad, there are numerous issues with "Lucky Day" but they are the same issues you will discover in numerous other TV movies yet because of what seems a lack of subtlety "Lucky Day" keeps you watching out of a strange curiosity to see if it is that obvious.

Struggling actress Nora Barkin (Amanda Donohoe - Liar Liar) fills in her time between auditions working at a courier office where she has become like family to old Bill (Gino Marrocco), especially when following his wife's death it was Nora and her husband Jack (Gregor Törzs) who looked out for him. So when Bill goes missing after having called her about a lottery win Nora gets concerned and with the police unwilling to take her seriously starts her own investigation. The trouble is that what she discovers makes her start to question Jack and when Bill shows up dead the police finally take an interest.

Tony Lo Bianco in Lucky Day (2002)

I could sit here and probably write a whole essay on everything which I thought was wrong with "Lucky Day" from the cheesy opening credits through to the cheesier ending as this is a movie with a lot of flaws. But in truth whilst "Lucky Day" probably has more flaws than usual these are flaws which are common to this sort of made for TV movie and in many ways you half expect them. So when a gaping plot hole appears, an actor seems too young for the role or a line of dialogue makes you smirk for being so bad you kind of let it wash over you.

Aside from the flaws well to be honest we are in familiar territory with "Lucky Day" as we have a strong female character doing her own snooping and not only having to deal with patronising cops discovers something which rocks her world. It is in no ways special but ironically because from very early on everything we are shown suggests that a certain person is behind Bill's murder you become sort of gripped as you want to find out if it is that poor for being so obvious or how convoluted it will become to throw a final curve ball. It ends up the only real reason to keep watching once you start because nothing which happens is really that entertaining.

Aside from that there is the casting of Amanda Donohoe who to be honest must have needed the money to agree to be in this TV movie because it certainly doesn't highlight her talents. And in truth it is mainly Donohoe's natural beauty which keeps you watching because her character does little of interest other than going basically door to door to find out what happened to Bill.

What this all boils down to is that "Lucky Day" whilst watchable is full of some typical flaws which tend to dominate made for TV movies and in the end you keep watching to see if it is as obvious as it seems.


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