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Parents' Guide to

The Lucky Ones

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

War/road trip dramedy is cliched but affecting.

Movie R 2008 115 minutes
The Lucky Ones Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 1 parent review

wonder dove
wonder dove Adult
August 5, 2013
age 15+

Pretty good watch.

This movie wasn't bad. I mainly watched for Rachel McAdams who did a wonderful job playing one of the soldiers on her way back home from Iraq. She meets two other men and together they share a van to all return to their destinations. Each character has issues of their own, they help each other solve them along the way which makes their friendships stronger in the end. A very laid back road trip movie with great characters played by a great cast. Language is strong with plenty of curse words including the f-word. Violence has arguing of a married couple with loud yelling, a close-up bullet wound, a fight scene at a bar, injured soldiers and lots of bickering and complaining. Sexual content has a character having sexual issues after getting shot in the thigh, lots of talk about sex stuff, guy looks for prostitutes to see if they can "cure" him, a married woman goes to bed with a man right after meeting (moaning sounds heard) her husband walks in, sexual remarks throughout. Plenty of drinking. Pretty safe for the 16+ crowd I think.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Three soldiers deployed to Iraq -- paternal Cheaver (Tim Robbins), hopeful Colee (Rachel McAdams), and pragmatic T.K. (Michael Pena) -- are thrown together on their way home. After their flights end up canceled, they decide to share a van to get to their respective destinations. Thus begins a trouble-plagued journey that proves they may not be so lucky after all to have returned home alive -- unlike some of their peers -- because civilian life, though infinitely less dangerous, is in some ways just as challenging as combat. Cheaver's wife isn't exactly welcoming him with open arms, and his son needs $20,000 asap for college. Colee is returning the guitar that her boyfriend/fellow soldier owned before he was killed in hopes that his family, whom she doesn't know, will take her in. And T.K. isn't sure his fiance will want him anymore when she finds out exactly how he's been injured.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

THE LUCKY ONES has lots of flaws, including artificial twists, cliched setups, and all-too-familiar road-trip snafus (keys left in a locked car, bickering travelers, etc.). The story opens up like a highway with uninteresting pit stops. But the movie has heart, and that's what saves it. It plays on a low register, smartly aware that its basic premise -- veterans who are hobbled physically must endure emotional warfare, too -- is already intense. Given the heavy subject matter, director Neil Burger smartly realizes that it's better to keep a light touch and deftly mixes humor with drama.

The Lucky Ones is also fortunate to have a great cast. Robbins is sympathetic yet subtle, McAdams balances fear and awkwardness with optimism and spirituality (she really is lovely, even in a role this gritty), and Pena is surprising in a role that's hard to pin down because it's refreshingly complex.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the media typically depicts war and its consequences. How is this film different from other movies about war? How is it similar? The filmmakers have said they made a point of not actually using the word "Iraq" in the script -- how can you tell that this movie is about that war anyway? Families can also discuss soldiers' homecoming. Does it seem less than spectacular? Why? Why is the film titled The Lucky Ones? What makes these characters lucky -- or unlucky?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: September 26, 2008
  • On DVD or streaming: January 27, 2009
  • Cast: Michael Pena , Rachel McAdams , Tim Robbins
  • Director: Neil Burger
  • Inclusion Information: Latino actors
  • Studio: Lionsgate
  • Genre: Drama
  • Run time: 115 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: language and some sexual content.
  • Last updated: September 15, 2023

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