Jackpot! (2024): The High-Stakes Action Comedy That Hits the Lottery
Jackpot! is a 2024 American action-comedy film directed by Paul Feig and penned by Rob Yescombe. This adrenaline-pumping film stars Awkwafina, John Cena, Ayden Mayeri, Donald Elise Watkins, Sam Asghari, and Simu Liu. The story centers on Katie Kim (played by Awkwafina), a former child actor who unexpectedly wins a $3.6 billion lottery, only to find herself the target of deadly attacks in a dystopian California.
Plot Overview: Surviving the Grand Lottery
Set in the year 2030, California's government introduces a lethal twist to the classic lottery—dubbed the "Grand Lottery." On Lottery Day, the winner must survive until sundown to claim their prize. The twist? Anyone with a losing ticket can kill the winner and take the money, but guns are strictly forbidden.
Katie Kim, looking to revive her acting career, arrives in Los Angeles, unaware of the Grand Lottery’s existence. After a failed audition, she unwittingly enters and wins the $3.6 billion jackpot. What follows is a frantic, city-wide chase as Katie must dodge an onslaught of would-be assassins.
Enter Noel Cassidy (John Cena), a freelance Lottery protection agent who offers to safeguard Katie in exchange for ten percent of her winnings. Together, they fend off waves of "fans" using non-lethal tactics, all while a drone broadcasts Katie’s location every 14 minutes. If Katie can make it to the Grapevine—just outside the city—she can officially quit the Lottery and live.
However, trust is a scarce commodity in this deadly game. Katie flees from Noel, realizing even the police are in on the hunt. After taking refuge in a wax museum, she is soon discovered by her money-hungry roommates, Shadi and DJ. With Noel’s help, they escape to the mansion of rapper MGK, where they temporarily find safety in his panic room.
The plot thickens as Noel and Katie seek refuge with the Lewis Protection Agency (LPA). But Noel soon suspects that the agency might be murdering their clients and keeping the winnings for themselves. In a dramatic showdown at an abandoned theater, Katie must outwit Louis Lewis, the corrupt head of LPA, to save herself and Noel.
In the end, Katie triumphs against all odds, and she and Noel use her winnings to establish a protection agency that offers free services to future Lottery winners.
A Box Office and Streaming Hit
Released by Amazon MGM Studios on Prime Video on August 15, 2024, Jackpot! quickly became a streaming sensation. While the film received mixed reviews from critics, audiences praised its blend of action, comedy, and social commentary on the lengths people will go for money.
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