Lottery Ticket 2010

Amy Nicholson, I.E. Weekly: 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. Read more

Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: ...a film that's largely wealthy in incoherence, raising a smile one minute and a cringe the next, until it finally devolves into a 'who-cares' cliche-fest. Read more

Andy Webster, New York Times: A big, vivid supporting cast - including Faheem Najm (a k a the rapper T-Pain) and the comedians Charlie Murphy and Mike Epps - is a strong asset, as are messages about sexual responsibility and charity in the 'hood. Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: Even on its own limited terms, the jokes are sub-Friday sequel, and a last-act grab for Boyz n the Hood pathos is seriously reaching. Read more

Nathan Rabin, AV Club: Like Barbershop, The Lottery Ticket is about a community as much as it is about a lucky young man who gets in over his head. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: There are a couple of good performances and a few funny bits, but mostly the film just bounces back and forth until coming to a flat, trite close. Read more

Tom Russo, Boston Globe: White and writer Abdul Williams are determined to squeeze in some social commentary. And while this, too, is mostly familiar stuff, a couple of bits do resonate. Read more

Patrick Friel, Chicago Reader: No doubt the characters are stereotypes, but the performances are handled with a knowing wink and a great deal of fun. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: 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. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: Let's call it four out of six numbers, with no power bonus. Some payoff, but don't quit your job. Read more

Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly: If Lottery Ticket had as much conviction as laughs, it could have hit the jackpot. Read more

Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: A disappointing, trite comedy overrun with African-American stereotypes. Read more

Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: Though the movie looks good and rarely lags on energy, the careless script is filled with tired stereotypes and easy cliches. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: There's a one-in-a-billion story to Lottery Ticket: Those are the approximate odds against a script this bad making it out of the introductory seminar at film school. Read more

Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: Like Kevin's lucky fortune cookie, Lottery Ticket is a sweet treat with a substantive message. Read more

Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle: If any of the central characters in Lottery Ticket had a bit of sense, the movie would be over in about five minutes. Read more

Kevin C. Johnson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: It all comes off a bit like an extended episode of "Everybody Hates Chris" with really bad language. Read more

Jennie Punter, Globe and Mail: Erik White and Abdul Williams don't reinvent the wheel of fortune in Lottery Ticket, but the director and screenwriter, respectively, deliver a well-plotted, energetically paced story. Read more

Jason Anderson, Toronto Star: A formulaic comedy that's enlivened by the high spirits of its supporting players. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: The comedy is broad, bordering on offensive, the laughs are few, and the positive message feels tacked on. Read more

John Anderson, Variety: Read more

Andrew Barker, Variety: The script is never nearly as clever as the premise ought to allow, and the madcap fun is far too frequently derailed by tonal inconsistencies. Read more

Dan Kois, Village Voice: It's comforting, really, to see the movie's soft-pedaling of actual ghetto problems; realism isn't Lottery Ticket's game. Read more

Stephanie Merry, Washington Post: A jumble of comedy and drama with a sprinkling of After School Special messaging and some head-scratchingly bad choices. Read more