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James Nesbitt, Olivia Williams, Timothy Spall, Bill Nighy, Lennie James ... see more see more... , Ron Cook , Frank Harper , Raymond Waring , Christopher Plummer , Julian Barratt , Peter Wight , Celia Imrie

The first feature by director Peter Cattaneo since his award-winning British smash hit The Full Monty, Lucky Break is another comedy in the same mold, this time taking place in prison. Small-time croo... read more read more...ks Jimmy (James Nesbitt) and Rudy (Lennie James), after years of no success, decide to pull a bank job, where they are both captured and incarcerated. Jimmy is then transferred to Long Rudford, run by the steely security chief Perry (Ron Cook). Jimmy again runs into Rudy (whom he left to take the initial rap) and shares a cell with Cliff (Timothy Spall), a portly man prone to depression. The prison warden, Mortimer (Christopher Plummer), is heavily into Broadway musicals and offers Jimmy an opportunity to stage his long-unproduced work, "Nelson: The Musical," which Jimmy will use as a means to bust out of the prison. After working hard on the new tuner, the boys try to find a way both to do the show and to continue their arduously planned escape. The Sixth Sense's Olivia Williams co-stars as a guard Jimmy falls for, and British comic actors Bill Nighy and Frank Harper appear in supporting roles. ~ Jason Clark, Rovi

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50% liked it

1,373 ratings

Critics

48% liked it

44 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 47 min.

Directed by: Peter Cattaneo

Release Date: April 5, 2002

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DVD Release Date: October 22, 2002

Stats: 47 reviews

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Paul the Drama Guy The Boys Nelsons Crew Annie and Jimmy Jimmy Hands Annie A Romantic Dinner Jimmy and Rudy Roger Roger Thinks Jimmy Roger Chamberlain The Governor Lenny The Love Song Jimmy gets searched The Key Jimmy and Perry
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Flixster Reviews (47)

  • moviempress
    July 17, 2008
    moviempress
    What an entertaining find this was! Sure at times the plot is predictable and some sub plots are not fully fleshed out, perhaps they should've been axed all together...but on the whole Nesbitt and Williams carry the movie and it is a comedy with enough drama that invites you to s... read moreee what happens. A fun flick!

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Critic Reviews

Loren King
July 20, 2002
Loren King, Chicago Tribune

The formulaic script, stocked with not one truly menacing inmate, echoes far too many sentimental post-Full Monty imports. Full Review

Terry Lawson
May 31, 2002
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

A prison comedy that never really busts out of its comfy little cell. Full Review

Ann Hornaday
May 13, 2002
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

It's what the Brits themselves might call fair to middling.

Michael O'Sullivan
April 24, 2002
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post

No worse a film than Breaking Out, and Breaking Out was utterly charming. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
April 24, 2002
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

A pleasing but routine British comedy set in an English prison. Full Review

Peter Howell
April 19, 2002
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

While we can forgive Cattaneo for succumbing to temptation, we must also damn him and screenwriter Ronan Bennett (Face) for failing to attempt to improve on the original idea. Full Review

Ray Conlogue
April 19, 2002
Ray Conlogue, Globe and Mail

A pleasant effort that doesn't hit any of its targets. Full Review

Roger Ebert
April 19, 2002
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The movie has a raffish charm and good-hearted characters, and like The Full Monty it makes good use of the desperation beneath the comedy. Full Review

Ed Park
April 9, 2002
Ed Park, Village Voice

Mike Leigh mainstay Timothy Spall deftly shades in the designated goner, fellow Still Crazy alum Bill Nighy is sweetly wispy as the capable fop, and anger-management counselor Olivia Williams trembles... Full Review

Richard Roeper
April 8, 2002
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

Not as good as The Full Monty, but a really strong second effort. Full Review

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  • What film composer was catapulted to fame after getting an extraordinarily lucky break with Stargate and Independence Day?  Answer »
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