neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Lucky Break
	Peter Cattaneo James Nesbitt, Olivia Williams, Timothy Spall, Bill Nighy, Lennie James, Christopher Plummer 2001		The surprise success of the amiably wacky, hardscrabble British film "The Full Monty" was sure to spawn imitators. So the UK film industry went penal, producing no fewer than three wannabe-zany-and-inspiring, but fairly mediocre, prison movies in a row. They all feature colorful, lovable felons pursuing unlikely extracurricular activities that either bring empowerment and growth to the jailbirds or mask breakout attempts — or both. Coming after "Greenfingers" (prison gardening squad) and "Mean Machine" (prison soccer team), "Lucky Break" is about a prison theater troupe staging a musical to divert security from an escape attempt. Leading the cons is the requisite handsome rogue (James Nesbitt), who's not such a bad guy and gets romantic with the comely prison counselor (Olivia Williams). There's a pompous warden (Christopher Plummer), goofy inmates, a brutal guard who gets his comeuppance, etc. Peter Cattaneo also directed "The Full Monty." After "Lucky Break," he's on probation.