Every once in a while a movie takes a story you think you already know and makes it feel fresh. The Luckiest Man in America does exactly that, turning Michael Larson’s wild 1984 game show run into something much bigger than a quirky bit of trivia.
A lot of that spark comes from the music. John Carroll Kirby’s score is incredible, playful one moment and tense the next, always tuned perfectly to the madness happening on screen. It keeps the film buzzing with energy and makes you feel like you are right there in the studio with Larson.
And then there is Paul Walter Hauser. He is the kind of actor who can make you laugh, cringe and genuinely care in the same scene. The way he plays Larson feels completely natural, layered and alive. He gives the film both its heart and its bite.
What ties it all together is the balance. It is funny without ever slipping into parody and dramatic without weighing itself down. With Kirby’s music lifting it up and Hauser delivering a knockout performance, The Luckiest Man in America stands out as one of the most entertaining and unexpectedly moving films of the year.