by Thomas Ferguson

Movies based on the current war in Iraq have not fared too well at the box office.  Apparently, people arenʼt interested in seeing movies on this subject matter. The wounds are too fresh and our soldiers are currently living the experiences depicted in these movies. Thatʼs why it is so refreshing to see a war based film with a lighter tone and humor.

The Lucky Ones  is a comedy/drama about three wounded soldiers given a month leave to return home to recover. After air travel is grounded due to a fluke power outage, these three complete strangers; Cheever (Tim Robbins), TK (Michael Pena), and Colee (Rachel McAdams) find themselves on a road trip towards Vegas. Along the way, they learn how much they actually have in common and how much they need each other to face the hardest decisions of their lives.

A typical road trip picture told in the most unconventional way, The Lucky Ones is not a movie that will set the world on fire, but it is entertaining enough to recommend.

The highlight for me was the performance by McAdams (Mean Girls, The Notebook ), who is an impressive young actress with a natural beauty to boot. I see Oscar nomination in her future, but not for this role. Robbins gives one of the best performances of his career and Pena impressed as well.

This is a simple story with a big question at its core. A question that Iʼm sure many of our soldiers ponder on a daily basis. What am I truly sacrificing by being here?

Not without some structural issues, The Lucky Ones had some laughs, an interesting story, and characters to care about.