By John Corrado

The Luckiest Man in America is the based-on-a-true-story tale of Michael Larson (played by Paul Walter Hauser), an ice cream truck driver from Ohio who had an incredible winning streak on the game show Press Your Luck in the 1980s.

Like other contemporary films about live TV from a similar era such as Anna Kendrick’s Woman of the Hour and Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night (or, heck, even the fictional Late Night With the Devil), Luckiest Man in America builds suspense by showing the behind the scenes drama of a TV production, while authentically recreating an old studio.

Directed by Samir Oliveros, who co-wrote the script with Maggie Briggs, the film cuts between the set and the control room, as flabbergasted station executives struggle to respond to Michael’s seemingly inexplicable winning streak. The ensemble cast is rounded out by Walton Goggins as the show’s host Peter Tomarken, David Strathairn as the producer Bill Carruthers, and Shamier Anderson as the casting director.

But, at the centre of it all, is Hauser. The film opens with Hauser’s Michael addressing the camera in a recreation of a grainy VHS tape interview for the show, and we know something is up right from the beginning. Hauser is excellent in the role, reaffirming him as one of our finest character actors, with his portrayal of Michael simultaneously garnering our sympathy while also making us feel on edge. It’s a fascinating balancing act that he maintains throughout the ninety minute film.

One could argue that the film doesn’t really go deeper into Larson’s psyche past this one, well, episode. But it’s an intriguing glimpse into his mind during the taping of the game show. Oliveros keeps his film tight; The Luckiest Man in America remains entertaining and maintains tension throughout, partially thanks to an era-appropriate electronic score. It’s a satisfying portrait of a man making his own luck, that mainly serves as a great showcase for Paul Walter Hauser.

Film Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)

The Luckiest Man in America opens exclusively in theatres in limited release on April 4th, including at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto. It’s being distributed in Canada by Vortex Media.