The Lucky One (film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion picture |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder | Scott Hicks (director) |
| Products | Romantic drama film |
The Lucky One is a 2012 American romantic drama helmed by director Scott Hicks, based on the 2008 novel by Nicholas Sparks. The film features Zac Efron portraying Logan Thibault, a US Marine who discovers a photograph of a woman during his deployment in Iraq and later embarks on a journey to find her. The narrative delves into themes such as destiny and emotional recovery.
Although it faced predominantly unfavorable critiques, the movie achieved global box office earnings exceeding $99 million, surpassing its $25 million production cost.
Plot
While serving in Iraq, US Marine Logan Thibault survives an ambush that claims many lives after coming across a photograph of a woman, which he keeps as a talisman for good fortune. Upon returning to Colorado, grappling with PTSD and survivor’s guilt, he decides to locate the woman featured in the picture.
His quest takes him to Louisiana, where he identifies Beth Green as the woman in the photo. Logan finds work through Beth’s grandmother and gradually forms a bond with Beth and her son Ben. Tensions arise due to Beth’s ex-husband, Deputy Keith Clayton, who remains suspicious and antagonistic toward Logan.
As Logan stands by Beth amid personal struggles and custody battles involving Keith, conflicts intensify. Keith steals Logan’s photograph to sow distrust but later confronts him aggressively in public, only to be disarmed.
Logan uncovers that Beth’s deceased brother Drake was the Marine who sacrificed his life to save him—the same "Aces" from Iraq. This discovery helps to heal strained relationships even as Keith's threats escalate, culminating in tragedy when Keith loses his life protecting Ben during an accident on a collapsing treehouse bridge.
Following these events, Beth recognizes Logan’s significance in their lives, leading to their union. One year later, they commemorate Ben’s birthday together alongside their dog Zeus, symbolizing the start of their new family.
Cast
- Zac Efron as Logan Thibault
- Taylor Schilling as Elizabeth "Beth" Green
- Blythe Danner as Ellie
- Jay R. Ferguson as Keith Clayton
- Riley Thomas Stewart as Benjamin "Ben" Clayton
- Adam LeFevre as Judge Clayton
- Joe Chrest as Deputy Moore
- Ann McKenzie as Charlotte Clayton
- Kendal Tuttle as Drake "Aces" Green
- Robert Terrell Hayes as Victor
- Russ Comegys as Roger Lyle
- Sharon Morris as Principal Miller
Box office
The Lucky One earned $60.5 million domestically and $38.9 million internationally, culminating in a worldwide total of $99.4 million.
During its opening weekend, it generated $22.5 million, securing second place at the box office behind Think Like a Man, which earned $33.6 million.
Critical reception
The movie was met with largely negative reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 20% approval rating based on 148 critiques with an average score of 4.3/10, criticized for its heavy reliance on familiar Nicholas Sparks tropes. On Metacritic, it received a score of 39 out of 100 from 35 reviews, indicating generally unfavorable opinions.
Awards
| Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Trailer Awards | Best Romance | Find You | Template:Nom |
| Best Romance Poster | One Sheet | Template:Won | |
| Best Romance TV Spot | Reveal | Template:Nom | |
| 2012 Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie Actor: Drama | Zac Efron | rowspan="2" Template:Won |
| Choice Movie Actor: Romance | |||
| Choice Movie Actress: Romance | Taylor Schilling | Template:Nom | |
| Choice Movie: Drama | The Lucky One | Template:Won | |
| Choice Movie: Liplock | Zac Efron & Taylor Schilling | rowspan="2" Template:Nom | |
| Choice Movie: Romance | The Lucky One | ||
| 39th People's Choice Awards | Favorite Dramatic Movie | Template:Nom | |
| Favorite Dramatic Movie Actor | Zac Efron | Template:Won | |
| 34th Young Artist Awards | Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor | Riley Thomas Stewart | Template:Nom |
Home media
The Lucky One became available on DVD and Blu-ray starting August 28, 2012, achieving sales exceeding $31 million.