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Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, Blythe Danner, Riley Thomas Stewart, Jay R. Ferguson ... see more see more... , Trey Burvant , Adam Le Fevre , Robert Terrell Hayes , Joe Chrest , Russ Comegys , Dr. Sharon Morris May , Ann McKenzie , Kendal Tuttle , Cameron Banfield , Ritchie Montgomery , Courtney J. Clark , Gavin Reyna , Matthew Michaud , Dustin Bergene , Ned Yousef , Naim Alherimi , Jillian Batherson , Douglas M. Griffin , Donna Heckel-Reno , Hunter Reno , Amanda Fetters , Calvin Quatroy , Marcie Antony Courtney , Michael A. Cowan , Deborah Denise Graves , Gary Harris , Melba Marie Harris , Tina Marie Lumas , Consuella Johnson Lumas , Gregory J. Probst , Valerie Diane Vaughan , Adam LeFevre

U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault (Efron) returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive--a photograph he found of a woman he doesn't even know. Le... read more read more...arning her name is Beth (Schilling) and where she lives, he shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job at her family-run local kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and the complications in her life, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm. -- (C) Warner Bros

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67% liked it

186,957 ratings

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20% liked it

140 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 41 min.

Directed by: Scott Hicks

Release Date: April 20, 2012

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DVD Release Date: August 28, 2012

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Flixster Reviews (3,713)

  • itsjustme2004
    March 30, 2013
    itsjustme2004
    A nice, heartfelt story of love and redemption. Emotional, but not overly sappy. Really nice cast. Zac Efron is becoming quite a good actor, and is definitely easy on the eyes. Blythe Danner is outstanding, as usual...
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    December 20, 2012
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    You should be kissed every day, every hour, every minute.

    Good movie! Zac Efron does a decent job playing the character of Logan, however, he just can't pull off the tough-guy look that is essential in this film. He will always be remembered as Troy Bolton from "High School Musi... read morecal". In any case, this is a tear-jerking, cheesy movie that most teenage girls would enjoy. It's not terrible, yet nothing special.

    Logan is a marine serving in Iraq. While there, he finds a photo of a girl with "keep safe" written on the back. He is admiring it when his unit is attacked. He survives and credits the photo for saving him. He tries to find the owner but can't, assuming he was killed. When he goes back to the States, he finds it difficult to adjust and is still haunted by what happened. Analyzing the photo, he finds in the background a landmark that tells him she is in Louisiana. He then goes there and finds her. He learns her name is Beth. He tries to tell her what happened but can't get the words out. She assumes he's there to apply for the job they advertised looking for someone to help at her family's business, a dog kennel. He says yes but at first she gets an uneasy feeling from him but her grandmother decides to give him a chance. It isn't long that he makes a connection with her son. He then discovers that it was her brother who had the picture only he doesn't remember him. He sees that her brother's death has a profound effect on her. Eventually they get close which makes her grandmother happy but not her ex who is a deputy sheriff who's always threatening to take their son away from her.
  • LWOODS04
    December 3, 2012
    LWOODS04
    "A good enough film with decent acting. The problem is that the film was predictable with a dash of cheese. I mean, I am not big on romance films and this movie is a great example of why. Too much cheese without enough depth. I think Riley Thomas was cute and did a good job. I ev... read moreen liked Zac in this. I think he's starting to grow on me. The more serious roles he takes, the more I like him. I've seen better from Sparks though. Not a film I would watch again, unless I had to."
  • romy861
    October 13, 2012
    romy861
    Okay movie to watch, but honestly I found it On the dull side. Really a typical Nicholas Sparks story. I actually kind of wish they would stop making adaptations of his books. It's always the same - they look nice, the cast is attractive, but the story is just flat and you wi... read moresh you hadn't bothered to watch it. Oh, and a death. There is always a death!
  • fb100000145236770
    August 27, 2012
    fb100000145236770
    Other than "The Notebook", I'm not a big fan of Nicolas Sparks movies. They are usually too melodramatic for me. But, "The Lucky One" is actually a good one. Zac Efron stars as Logan, a Marine whose life is saved when he finds a picture of a girl he doesn't know. The picture b... read moreecomes a sort of guardian angel for him, and when he leaves the marines he sets out to find the girl. When he finds her, he begins to work with her, and they start a relationship together. Obviously there is more to it, and there are twists and turns, but I don't wanna give away everything. The acting is good, and this is really a good vehicle for Efron to show he can do mature movies. It's good to see a good child actor develop into a good adult actor, and this could certainly lead to bigger and better things. At times the movie is borderline melodramatic, but it never goes overboard. The ladies are going to really dig this, and they will dig it even more if you(if your a guy reading this) watch it with them. You'll probably find yourself pretty entertained and glad you stuck around.
  • Julie
    August 23, 2012
    Julie
    On a plane. That's my excuse.
  • nadirairdiana
    June 13, 2012
    nadirairdiana
    An okay film, not a fan of the story at all.
  • ghostdog86
    April 24, 2012
    ghostdog86
    Nicholas Sparks should stop writing novels for all of our sakes. "The Lucky One" is yet another failed attempt at adapting a Sparks love story onto the big screen, as well as a lackluster directorial choice in the once promising, but now spiraling career of Scott Hicks (Hearts i... read moren Atlantis, Shine). And did I mention that his film stars Zac Efron (17 Again, Dr. Seuss' The Lorax) adding another B list role to his filmography?

    Before I begin my review, I want my readership to know that I am not dumb. I know that no matter what I say, good or bad, about "The Lucky One", it will in no way deter the excitable Efron fans from wasting their money. But like so many "don't text while driving" PSA's, I will do my best to prevent the inevitable. If I can just reach that one girl (or sadly, woman) who still has a "High School Musical" poster on her bedroom wall, then this review will have not all been for nothing.

    Synopsis: A Marine, named Logan (Efron), fighting in Afghanistan or a place resembling such, finds a mysterious photo of a very average looking woman, (played by Taylor Schilling) in the dirt. When he goes to retrieve it, a bomb goes off behind him, killing three other soldiers. Taking this photo as a sign of good luck, he decides to keep it in his wallet for the rest of his tour, in order to avert death. No, this is not the beginning of the new "Final Destination" film, even though there is one other instance where Logan is yet again attacked, but emerges as the only survivor. Anyways, once back home (in Colorado) Logan decides that he must investigate who this mysteriously average looking woman is. It turns out that her name is Beth. It also turns out that Beth lives in Louisiana. So, such as any sane man would, he decides to walk there. Yes, walk from Colorado to Louisiana! Ok, so I haven't even broached the heart of the film (the love story) and yet anyone with half a brain reading this can already tell that "The Lucky One" was clearly setting itself up to be heavily criticized by someone like me.

    And don't even get me started on how barely there the conflict between Logan and Beth is. Suffice to say, "The Lucky One" is a film which could have been resolved in the first 5 minutes, by Logan just revealing to Beth the circumstances of how he came to acquire a picture of her. But, due to the fact that ALL feature length movies are over 5 minutes long, it is written into the script that Logan can't seem to find the words to tell her the truth. Talk about a stretch.

    Ok, so along with the plot being a mess (and very forgettable) the characters are as well. In fact, audiences (even fans of the Sparks novels) will find it extremely difficult to care about anybody in "The Lucky One". Furthermore, whenever a truly emotional scene occurred, which had the potential of reducing everyone in the theater to tears; the lack of any expositional connection only worked to reduce the audience into a shrug inducing coma.

    As for the acting, it's pretty much as average as it gets. Schilling, who should never again be cast as the female love interest, horribly overacts her way through this film. Well, maybe "horribly" is too harsh of a word, and I guess she was better here than she was in that awful "Atlas Shrugged: Part 1". But saying that is like saying that getting punched in the face is a better alternative to being kicked in the groin. Efron, on the other hand, is just not given anything to work with here. In the past he has shown himself to be better than this Hallmark Channel crap, and thus I am still holding on to the notion that Efron is just a good actor, making poor choices. But this notion has been getting more and more lonely with each passing film.

    Side Note: Do you know why there hasn't been any good Nicholas Sparks adaptations since 2004's "The Notebook" or 2002's "A Walk to Remember"? Simple. "The Notebook" and "A Walk to Remember" (more so "The Notebook") were the only two adaptations working with the holy trinity: a solid script, talented leads (Mandy Moore, Ryan Gosling, James Garner and Rachel McAdams) and a credible director (Nick Cassavetes and the multi-talented Adam Shankman). So, in short, Nicholas Sparks has hardly been the problem (with the exception of "The Last Song", which he co-wrote the screenplay for). The problems seemed to have arisen when Hollywood types saw a gold mine in a fan-base which would pay to see anything with the Sparks name on it and proceeded to roll films such as "Dear John", "The Last Song", "Nights in Rodanthe" (and lets add "Message in a Bottle " in there as well) off of the assembly line as quickly and haphazardly as possible; to the dismay of boyfriends everywhere.

    Final Thought: As bad as "The Lucky One" is, fans who have been waiting to see a more manly Efron (or Efron with a five o'clock shadow) will find teenage-like enjoyment in watching him walk, run, sit and stand around with no shirt; and an equal amount of enjoyment watching him stare longingly off into the distance (seemingly in deep thought). But, unless you fall into one of these categories, steer clear of "The Lucky One"; as if you needed me to tell you this.

    Written by Markus Robinson, Edited by Nicole I. Ashland

    Please visit my page on Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/x-52464-San-Jose-Indie-Movie-Examiner and leave any comments you have about this or any review. The more hits I get the better. Thank you.

    Follow me on Twitter @moviesmarkus
  • DrZeek
    April 19, 2012
    DrZeek
    Beth: Why did you come here?
    Logan: To find you.

    Vanilla can be an underrated flavor. The Lucky One is a film that does everything as one would expect it to do and has little shading to really differentiate it from what one expects a romantic drama to be. It has several im... read morepossibly nice characters, one jerk, and plenty of adorable animals living in a beautiful setting, going through the motions of a story that will definitely end in one specific way. With that said, I have nothing really against any of this. It is fine for the audiences that this film is meant for (fans of romantic dramas and devotees to Nicholas Sparks books) and does not have anything clunky or poorly handled enough to really make me have any sort of ill will towards the film. Overall, it may play like a plain, vanilla-type film, but it's fine.

    read the whole review at thecodeiszeek.com
  • fb100000440772572
    November 7, 2012
    fb100000440772572
    The Lucky One is yet another Nicholas Sparks romance novel brought to the big-screen. When a photograph of an unknown woman brings luck to a Marine serving in Iraq, he seeks her out upon his return home. Zac Efron and Taylor Schilling lead the cast and have a pretty solid onscr... read moreeen chemistry that works well for the film. And the storytelling is fairly good, though it follows the usual Sparks formula. The territory may be familiar, but The Lucky One is a compelling drama that has its moments.

View All The Lucky One Reviews

Critic Reviews

Anna Smith
May 1, 2012
Anna Smith, Time Out

Even taken as simple schmaltz, 'The Lucky One' lacks the romantic impact of the adaptation of Sparks's 'The Notebook' or even the Channing Tatum-starrer 'Dear John'. Full Review

Tal Rosenberg
April 20, 2012
Tal Rosenberg, Chicago Reader

As long as Efron's shirt comes off, he could play an accountant and no one in the target audience would care. Full Review

Richard Roeper
April 20, 2012
Richard Roeper, Richard Roeper.com

Well-acted schmaltz with some gaping plot holes. Full Review

Stephen Whitty
April 20, 2012
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

There's not much to the movie besides handsome sets, sun-dappled photography and a plot as predictable as the verse in a Hallmark card. Full Review

Elizabeth Weitzman
April 20, 2012
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

[Hicks] hits the beats - lonely woman, hunky stranger - without bothering to develop even the slightest depth. Full Review

Rafer Guzman
April 20, 2012
Rafer Guzman, Newsday

The overheated eroticism could have at least made for a camp classic, but the film's chilling narcissism ultimately makes for a pleasureless fantasy. Full Review

Sara Stewart
April 20, 2012
Sara Stewart, New York Post

I'm beginning to think writer Nicholas Sparks isn't one person at all, but a roomful of ladies doing Harlequin-romance Mad Libs. Full Review

Ann Hornaday
April 20, 2012
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

A sudsy romantic melodrama that in the 1950s would have been directed with lurid overkill by the likes of Douglas Sirk. Full Review

Rick Groen
April 20, 2012
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

Another Nicholas Sparks novel, another cinematic brush with insulin shock. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
April 20, 2012
Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle

A lazy (in all ways) Nicholas Sparks romance that's as pretty and vacant as its hero. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Facts

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    • Logan: Sometimes, the questions are complicated, and the answers are simple.
    • Logan: How do you explain something that you can't even understand yourself?
    • Logan: Everyone has their own destiny, but not even one makes a choice to follow it, but I'm lucky I did.
    • Beth: You don't even know him!
    • Ellie: You don't neither.
    • Beth: How did you get him to leave?
    • Ellie: I gave him the job.
    • Ellie: Start appreciating the memories you have and stop begrudging the ones you never got to make.
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The Lucky One Trivia

  • Randolph: You must have something special, that's why Willy didn't eat you up. Maybe high blood, medicine roots... Jesse: No way. Randolph: Then you're just one lucky little white boy, you like the sound of that better?  Answer »
  • in the Three Amigos!, only one of them gets shot. Which one?  Answer »
  • In the movie, "Cool Runnings", Sanka's lucky egg broke during one of their bob sled runs.  Answer »
  • in the country music, who sings "im the lucky one"?  Answer »
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