Lottery Ticket

Kevin Carson lives in the projects supporting his grandmother by his job at the Foot Locker. He has dreams of being a shoe designer, but the realities of his situation is forestalling any college plans. The nationwide lottery has $370 million up for grabs and everyone in his community can't help but dream of what they would do with kind of payout.

Bow Wow, who has dropped the “Little” from his name, plays Kevin. A good kid who wants to do right by people. His grandma (Loretta Devine) is full of love and pride for her grandson. His best friends Benny (Brandon T.Jackson) and Stacie (Naturi Naughton) are also faithful and loyal. The community of this particular low class neighborhood seem almost joyful, carefree with no litter, garbage or weeds.

On the way to work, the neighborhood bully Lorenzo (Gbenga Akinnagbe) and his gang way lays Kevin demanding that he supply him and his crew with new shoes. Not wanting to get beat up, Kevin quickly nods and hopes to get to work unscathed. Unfortunately Lorenzo shows up at the mall trying to walk out with the shoes but he gets busted by the mall police. Lorenzo threatens Kevin with revenge. Kevin ends up getting fired from his job. Grandma gives Kevin her numbers to play for the lottery. The recluse Mr. Washington (Ice Cube) that lives in the basement and only talks through a window asks Kevin to pick him up some jerky and a diet coke. Benny thinks the guy is a serial killer. Kevin plays his grandmother's numbers but he also plays the numbers from a fortune cookie. The next day he discovers he's a winner. Their celebration is brief as he tells his grandma not to tell anyone while he and Benny head to the lottery office downtown. The office turns out to be closed for the 4th of July weekend. When he returns home, the whole neighborhood has heard the good news. Kevin must now survive the greedy and threatening enthusiasm of the projects. The amount of money brings out the best and worst of people and everyone seems to want a piece of Kevin.

Lottery Ticket was directed by Erik White, a music video directed and based on his story, with a screenplay by Abdul Williams. Kevin is a bit of a passive character, unsure of himself, and unable to stand up to Lorenzo's threats, the oily overtures of the neighborhood godfather Sweet Tea (Keith David), or the obvious opportunistic hot girl who plans to have his baby. Kevin begins to see that this money is making a bigger problem than he can deal with and begins to wish it never happened. This film could have been more annoying, but Erik White manages to ground the film in Kevin's relationships with his grandmother and his friends. There's some very amusing moments with Mike Epps as Reverend Taylor and Terry Crews as Jimmy the Driver. Viewers may get frustrated with some of Kevin's misguided decisions, but you know that everything turns out well at the end. And the journey to get there wasn't all that bad. Just remember whatever you do...sign that lottery ticket!
(Review by Reesa)