The Lucky Ones is a 2007 American comedy-drama directed by Neil Burger . The screenplay by Burger and Dirk Wittenborn focuses on three United States Army soldiers who find themselves drawn together by unforeseen circumstances.
54-449: (Redirected from The Lucky Ones ) Lucky One ( s ) or The Lucky One ( s ) may refer to: Film [ edit ] D' Lucky Ones , a 2006 Philippine film The Lucky Ones (film) , a 2008 American film The Lucky One (film) , a 2012 American film Literature [ edit ] The Lucky Ones (book) , a 2003 short-story collection by Rachel Cusk The Lucky One (novel) ,
108-449: A Grey's Anatomy spin-off, not material this serious. And the road noise coming from outside the minivan is a constant distraction. Although many of the developments feel novel and spontaneous [...] others challenge the audience to accept behavior and coincidences that often seem outlandish. Some of the scenes adopt the forced wackiness of an Arrested Development episode, and the final 15 minutes are particularly frustrating [...] All of
162-465: A revival meeting conducted by Pastor Jerry Nolan, a member of the congregation invites them to a birthday party in his palatial home. They conflict with the man's adult children over the latter's anti-war sentiments and Cheaver is seduced by a guest who expects him to participate in a threesome with her and her husband Bob. Later, Dunn and Poole leave Cheaver at a campsite. While driving, they are forced to flee an approaching tornado and take shelter in
216-896: A 2008 novel by Nicholas Sparks Music [ edit ] Albums [ edit ] Lucky Ones (album) , by Pat Green, 2004 The Lucky Ones (Mudhoney album) , 2008 The Lucky Ones (Pentatonix album) , 2021 The Lucky Ones (Pride Tiger album) , 2007 The Lucky Ones (Willie P. Bennett album) , 1985 Songs [ edit ] "Lucky One" (Amy Grant song) , 1994 "Lucky One" (Exo song) , 2016 "The Lucky One" (Alison Krauss song) , 2001 "The Lucky One" (Faith Hill song) , 2006 "The Lucky One" (Laura Branigan song) , 1984 "The Lucky One" (Uku Suviste song) , 2021 "The Lucky Ones" (song) , by Kerli, 2012 "Lucky One", by Goo Goo Dolls from Boxes , 2016 "Lucky One", by Tom Morello from The Atlas Underground , 2018 "The Lucky One", by Blue October from Home , 2016 "The Lucky One", by Celldweller from Wish Upon
270-456: A Blackstar: Chapter 03 , 2010 "The Lucky One", by Taylor Swift from Red , 2012 and Red (Taylor's Version) , 2021 "Lucky Ones", by Kevin Drew from Spirit If... , 2007 "Lucky Ones", by Lana Del Rey from Born to Die , 2012 "Lucky Ones", by Lights from Little Machines , 2014 "Lucky Ones", by Loverboy from Get Lucky , 1981 Other [ edit ] Lucky One Mall ,
324-497: A drainage ditch. As they cling closely to each other, Poole discovers he might not need the sex surrogate after all. Cheaver decides to bypass Salt Lake City and try his luck in the Las Vegas casinos. When Dunn discovers that a guitar similar to the one she is returning to her boyfriend's parents recently sold at an online auction for $ 22,000, she is tempted to give it to Cheaver, but he encourages her to complete her mission. Dunn
378-496: A lengthy blackout that ended just before their arrival. Rather than face a potentially long wait before normal flight schedules resume, they rent a minivan and drive westward. Arriving home in St. Louis, Cheaver learns his wife Pat wants a divorce, and his son Scott has been accepted at Stanford University . Scott's scholarship will pay for only part of his tuition and he needs to pay the $ 20,000 balance immediately to secure his place at
432-606: A new, which is more adapted to other NATO members. In 1975, all of the Norwegian military branches abolished the system of using non-commissioned officers. Now, however, Norway is reintroducing the Non-Commissioned Officer Corps, allowing people to become officers without graduating from a military academy or having a university degree. The rank of staff sergeant is used by the Armed Forces of
486-583: A rough cut of the film in September 2007, Lions Gate Entertainment executives considered rushing it into theaters to qualify for Academy Award consideration. But when the similarly war-themed films In the Valley of Elah , Rendition , and Lions for Lambs opened and failed to generate much box office revenue, the studio and Neil Burger decided to schedule it for Spring 2008. When the film's future remained in limbo, producer Rick Schwartz acknowledged
540-550: A senior supervisor. The rank is used, for example, in most Canadian police services. Other national police services (for example, Cyprus) have a corresponding rank of senior sergeant. In the United Kingdom, a few police forces formerly used the rank of station sergeant , with the same rank insignia as an army staff sergeant. The Hong Kong Police Force still uses this rank. In the Philippines, as of 8 February 2019,
594-574: A shopping mall in Karachi, Pakistan, and an associated residential development Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Lucky One . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lucky_One&oldid=1241195134 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
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#1732791656196648-617: Is a non-commissioned officer (NCO). Unlike the Marine Corps, U.S. Army staff sergeants are not considered senior NCOs (senior NCOs of the Army begin with sergeant first class, equivalent to the Marines' gunnery sergeant). Staff sergeants are generally placed in charge of squads , but can also act as platoon sergeants in the absence of a sergeant first class. In support units, staff sergeants ordinarily hold headquarters positions because of
702-457: Is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervisory, or other specialist duties as part of the staff of a British Army regiment . As such they held seniority over sergeants who were members of a battalion or company , and were paid correspondingly increased wages. Their seniority
756-473: Is another nickname though this is only used for the company chief clerk (in some instances the chief clerk role can be filled by another non-commissioned rank (but not warrant officer) and still be referred to as "Chief"). A staff sergeant ranks above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2 . In the pre-Unification Canadian Army , the rank of staff sergeant existed until 1968 when the Unification of
810-719: Is assumed to derive from the original rank of troop sergeant major , or as "Sir" by subordinates. Flight sergeant and chief technician are the Royal Air Force equivalents. Chief petty officer is the equivalent in the Royal Navy and colour sergeant in the Royal Marines . Staff sergeant ( SSG ) is the E-6 rank in the United States Army , just above sergeant and below sergeant first class , and
864-428: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages The Lucky Ones (film) Having completed his latest tour of duty, middle-aged SSG Fred Cheaver has retired from military service and is returning home to his wife and son in suburban St. Louis . PFC Colee Dunn and SSG T.K. Poole each have a thirty-day leave, and both are headed to Las Vegas . Dunn plans to visit
918-423: Is felt, but they are all too fleeting and dominated by exaggerated dramatics and broad comedy, especially as they relate to intimate matters. The tone overall is ill-managed." Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post said the film "is drenched not just in contrivance but condescension, for its protagonists and the clueless civilians they encounter. Surely all those constituencies deserve better." Peter Hartlaub of
972-479: Is given a NATO code of OR-7. The insignia is the monarch's crown above three downward pointing chevrons. Staff sergeants can also hold other appointments, such as company quartermaster sergeant , and are usually known by that appointment if held. The equivalent rank in infantry regiments is colour sergeant , and holders are known by that title no matter what their appointment. In the Household Cavalry
1026-490: Is one Singapore coat of arms and three pointed-down chevrons below it. In the Singapore Police Force , the rank of staff sergeant is currently being phased out with the newly overhauled "unified police rank structure" which allows a direct-entry sergeant to be eligible for emplacement to the rank of Inspector without a degree. In the past, the rank of staff sergeant is above the rank of sergeant, and below
1080-465: Is quietly effective as the elder of the bunch, while Peña shows us something of the growth of a cocky kid into sobering adulthood." The film was released on Region 1 DVD on January 27, 2009. It is in anamorphic widescreen format with an English audio track and English and Spanish subtitles. The sole bonus feature is A Look Inside The Lucky Ones , which includes interviews with cast and crew members. Staff sergeant#U.S. Army Staff sergeant
1134-429: Is undone by the plot's overwrought parade of coincidence and contrivance." On Metacritic , the film has a weighted average score of 53 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Laura Kern of The New York Times noted the film "has little interest in making bold pro- or antiwar proclamations. With a smooth, light touch (though not without bumps and awkward moments) it focuses instead on
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#17327916561961188-479: Is welcomed warmly by her boyfriend's parents, Tom and Jeanie Klinger, but quickly discovers that not only nothing he had told her about himself and his past was true, but he has omitted some important details as well. Neither of the Klingers recognizes the guitar, supposedly a family heirloom, and living with them are Shannon and the baby she had after a one-night stand with their son. The Klingers invite Dunn to spend
1242-591: The San Francisco Chronicle called it a "thoughtful portrait" but added, "As the film meanders, the powerful moments barely outnumber the ridiculous . . . When the movie works, it's a nice snapshot of space and time, which is aided by Burger's decision to film on location (with at least 30 percent of the film taking place inside the minivan). But he makes several wrong turns, starting with the sound. The musical score features jaunty, lighthearted piano tinkling and strings that should have been destined for
1296-460: The Iraq War frequently was debated. He also drew inspiration from The Last Detail and its seriocomic mood, episodic structure, and such plot details as an odd religious detour and a meeting with prostitutes. In A Look Inside The Lucky Ones , a bonus feature included in the film's DVD release, he explained he intentionally avoided mentioning Iraq because he wanted the audience to concentrate on
1350-590: The National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC), the rank of staff sergeant is above sergeant, and below Station Inspector and Warrant Officer respectively. The rank of staff sergeant generally is awarded to cadets when they are in Secondary Four, before they pass out. NPCC and NCDCC staff sergeants wear a rank insignia of one Singapore coat of arms and three pointed-down chevrons. The letters 'NPCC' and 'NCDCC' are located below
1404-967: The Royal Canadian Navy , Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force into the Canadian Armed Forces occurred. Post-unification, the Canadian Armed Forces replaced the rank with that of Warrant Officer . The rank is used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other police services throughout Canada. In the Norwegian Defence Forces, the tasks and responsibilities of the staff sergeant ( Norwegian : Stabssersjant ) are not clear; quite recently, in January 2016, Norway replaced their old rank system, and implemented
1458-775: The Toronto International Film Festival and was the opening night film at the San Diego Film Festival before opening on 425 screens in the United States and Canada on September 26. It earned $ 183,088 on its opening weekend, ranking #33 at the box office. The Lucky Ones received negative reviews from critics. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 37% based on reviews from 75 critics, with an average score of 5.03/10. The site's consensus states, " The Lucky Ones features heartfelt performances, but
1512-503: The 3-days 2-nights Senior Specialists Leaders Course successfully. The rank of staff sergeant is above first sergeant and below master sergeant. Staff sergeants wear a rank insignia of two pointed-up chevrons, one Singapore coat of arms and three pointed-down chevrons, with the letters 'NCC' located below the insignia to differentiate NCC cadets from SAF personnel. In the National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) and
1566-894: The Philippines . It is a non-commissioned officer rank currently used by Philippine Army , Philippine Air Force , and the Philippine Marine Corps (under the Philippine Navy ). It is a rank positioned above sergeant and below the technical sergeant . A staff sergeant ( SSG ) in the Singapore Armed Forces ranks above first sergeant and below master sergeant . It is the second most senior specialist rank. Staff sergeants are addressed as "Staff Sergeant" or "Staff", but never "Sergeant". Staff sergeants may be appointed as company sergeant major if they are due for promotion to master sergeant. They are usually addressed as "CSM" in camp, although in
1620-464: The USMC was created in 1923 to coincide with the U.S. Army's ranks. Until the end of World War II, the insignia of platoon sergeant was three chevrons and a rocker (worn by "line" NCO grades), with staff sergeant having a horizontal stripe (worn by "staff" NCO grades) instead of a rocker below the chevrons. After the separate rank of platoon sergeant was eliminated, the staff sergeant rank switched over to
1674-553: The actors make the best of well-intentioned plot turns that often don't feel true. The Lucky Ones has plenty of heart and courage. If it only had a brain ..." Marjorie Baumgarten of the Austin Chronicle rated the film 2½ out of four stars and commented, "So far, the box office has not been terribly kind to movies about the Iraq war or the soldiers who wage it. The Lucky Ones is not likely to alter that situation, although
Lucky One - Misplaced Pages Continue
1728-530: The crime is yet another fabrication. Dunn insists Cheaver take the guitar but he tells her he already has the $ 20,000 he needs. His friends are stunned he won the money so quickly, but Cheaver confesses he received it as a bonus for re-enlisting. They go their separate ways, but weeks later meet again at the airport as they prepare to return to Iraq. Screenwriter/director Neil Burger said he decided to write his script after filming The Illusionist in Prague , where
1782-400: The difficulty in marketing a war-related film to an audience that recently had rejected three, although The Lucky Ones primarily is a road movie , and its sole combat scene lasts only forty seconds. "What should we do with this one?," Schwartz wondered. "Do you do a trailer that’s more light and comedic that hides the fact that it’s really about three soldiers, or do you try to stay as true to
1836-482: The emotional consequences of the sense of displacement these 'lucky' characters — lucky to be alive, lucky to have met one another — must deal with always ring true." Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times observed, "What makes " The Lucky Ones " so gratifying to me is anything but gravitas; these three characters are simply likable, warm, sincere, and often funny. The performances are so good, they carry
1890-429: The equivalent rank is staff corporal . British staff sergeants are never referred to or addressed as "Sergeant", which would be reducing their rank, but are referred to and addressed as "Staff Sergeant" or "Staff" ("Staff Jones", for instance) or by their appointment or its abbreviation. Quartermaster sergeants are often addressed as "Q". In most cavalry regiments, staff sergeants are addressed as "Sergeant Major" , which
1944-462: The family of her boyfriend, a soldier who was killed in action after saving her life, and Poole wants to engage the services of a sex surrogate he hopes will cure the impotence he is experiencing as a result of a shrapnel injury before he reunites with his girlfriend. Upon arrival at the John F. Kennedy International Airport , the three strangers discover all outbound flights have been canceled due to
1998-443: The film right along . . . I believe audiences will be moved by the characters. I was." Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly graded the film B− and noted, "It's all very facile — war's domestic fallout made into feel-good fodder — but The Lucky Ones isn't dull, and the actors do quite nicely, especially McAdams, who's feisty, gorgeous, and as mercurial as a mood ring." Todd McCarthy of Variety thought, "It's hard to find
2052-444: The genuine heartfelt moments . . . under the clutter of narrative contrivances and coincidences . . . The daily life-and-death crises these characters faced in Iraq are replaced on their trip by the less dire but still pressing matters facing them at home, the subtext being that Iraq represents a distraction from domestic matters, which consequently suffer from neglect. There are moments when the sought-after poignancy born of this dilemma
2106-780: The heart of the characters rather than focus on the specific war they were fighting. The film, which takes no position on the war, is the first Iraq War-related Hollywood project the Army has supported by providing personnel and technical help. Much of the film was shot on location in Illinois at sites including Alsip , Arlington Heights , Barrington , Bolingbrook , Chicago , Edwardsville , Naperville , Niles , O' Fallon and Park Ridge and Skokie . Other locations included Chesterfield and St. Louis in Missouri , Denver and Grand Junction in Colorado , and Las Vegas. After seeing
2160-464: The idea that the present and the people who factor into it are all we really have. Aside from the opening, the only combat scenes to be found here are strictly domestic, and, in terms of its lead characters, internal . . . Their journey is jampacked with misadventures and personal epiphanies, some touching, others laughably contrived . . . But because the lead actors work so well together, adding depth and levels of vulnerability to fairly underwritten roles,
2214-684: The insignia so as to differentiate NPCC and NCDCC cadets from Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force personnel respectively. In the St John Brigade (SJB), the rank of staff sergeant (SSG) is above sergeant, and below senior staff sergeant. Staff sergeants in SJB wear a rank insignia of one St John coat of arms and three pointed-down chevrons. In the British Army , staff sergeant ( SSgt or formerly S/Sgt ) ranks above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2 . The rank
Lucky One - Misplaced Pages Continue
2268-570: The new rank of staff sergeant. Staff sergeant, as did the ranks it combined/replaced, then ranked above sergeant but below technical sergeant/first sergeant (which, at the time, were both in the same pay grade). At that time, sergeants served as squad or section leaders, platoon guides , and assistants to platoon commanders (the position of platoon sergeant, nor a separate rank for the position, did not yet exist), and included several formerly separate ranks such as mess sergeant, company supply sergeant, and stable sergeant, etc. In 1940, staff sergeant became
2322-437: The number of slots available for them in these units. Staff sergeants are typically assigned as a squad leader or company operations non-commissioned officer in charge at the company level, but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit. Staff sergeants are referred to as "Sergeant" except in certain training environments and schools. The NATO code is OR-6. In the early days of World War II flying sergeants with
2376-537: The past they were referred to as "Encik", which is now used to address only warrant officers. The rank insignia consists of two chevrons pointing up and three chevrons pointing down, with the Singapore coat of arms in the middle. In the Singapore Prison Service , the rank of staff sergeant (SSGT) is above the rank of sergeant, and is below the rank of Chief Warder (1). The rank insignia of SSGT
2430-528: The rank of senior staff sergeant; with the new rank structure being introduced, the rank and insignia of staff sergeant is being phased out, and being replaced with three grades of sergeant, namely, sergeant (1), sergeant (2), and sergeant (3), before being promoted directly to senior staff sergeant. However, all three grades of sergeants don the same three-chevrons insignia. In the National Cadet Corps , staff sergeants are cadets who have passed
2484-652: The rank of staff sergeant were qualified enlisted pilots before the rank of flight officer was introduced in September 1942. The rank of staff sergeant in the U.S. Army, along with technical sergeant (renamed sergeant first class in 1948) and master sergeant , was created by Congress after the First World War. In 1920 the Army combined several company/battery/troop level "staff" NCO ranks, including color sergeant, supply sergeant, radio sergeant, eleven grades of sergeant first class, three grades of sergeant, two grades of master gunner, and assistant band leader into
2538-659: The rank of staff sergeant is currently being used by the Philippine National Police as they adopt a new ranking classification, eliminating confusion of old ranks. The rank stands above the Police Corporal and below the Police Master sergeant . A number of other organisations, basing their structure on military ranks, have historically used, or still use, the rank of staff sergeant. The rank of staff sergeant was, for example, phased out of
2592-493: The rank title of rifle platoon sergeants and in 1942 rifle squad leaders became staff sergeants, with platoon sergeants then being promoted to technical sergeants. Staff sergeant ( SSgt ) is E-6 rank (NATO code OR-6) in the United States Marine Corps (USMC), ranking above sergeant and below gunnery sergeant . This grade is normally achieved after 6 years in service. The rank of staff sergeant in
2646-470: The remainder of her leave with them. Disillusioned, she declines, but she asks if she can keep the guitar, and they readily agree. Dunn, Cheaver, and Poole are reunited at the local police station. Poole had confessed to a casino robbery Dunn's boyfriend had claimed he committed before enlisting, to avoid returning to the Middle East by being sentenced to a prison term. His plan backfires when he learns
2700-683: The rocker insignia and staff sergeants held the platoon sergeant's billet. The rank of cadet staff sergeant ( CSSG or C/SSgt ) is used by many cadet organisations around the world, including the Civil Air Patrol in the United States, and the Army Cadet Force and the Army Section of the Combined Cadet Force in the United Kingdom. The rank of staff sergeant is used in some police forces to indicate
2754-408: The solid threesome of actors at the film's core and the storyline set entirely on American soil may earn the film greater props from moviegoers than some of the previous films. In many ways, The Lucky Ones is a universal story about rudderless Americans, not just this particular pack of Army veterans. Yet, the story [...] contains too many coincidences and convergences to wholly ring true [...] Robbins
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#17327916561962808-407: The spirit of the film as possible?" Burger considered either trimming the already short combat scene or removing it completely "to somehow mitigate or minimize the problem, or the perceived problem," but ultimately decided, "To not have the more serious scenes to balance out the humor feels somehow disrespectful to these characters." The film premiered at ShoWest on March 10, 2008 and was shown at
2862-496: The university. Cheaver decides to visit his brother in Salt Lake City , but first drives Dunn and Poole to the airport so they can fly to Las Vegas. When they see how devastated Cheaver is, they fear his state of mind will put him at risk on the open road and decide to continue with him. As their journey progresses and they open themselves up to each other, the three gradually become closer and share unexpected adventures. At
2916-483: Was indicated by a crown worn above the three sergeant's stripes on their uniform rank markings. In the Australian Army and Cadets , the rank of staff sergeant is being phased out. It was usually held by the company quartermaster sergeant or the holders of other administrative roles. Staff sergeants are always addressed as "Staff Sergeant" or "Staff", never as "Sergeant", as it degrades their rank. "Chief"
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