Themes: Down on Their Luck, Wanderlust, Crumbling Marriages
Main Cast: Mac Davis, Mark Polish, Jon Gries, Garrett Morris, Daryl Hannah, Kool Moe Dee
Release Year: 2001
Country: US
Run Time: 92 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Director Michael Polish and his twin brother Mark, who co-wrote and co-starred in the low-key, yet bizarre Twin Falls Idaho, about a woman who falls in love with a conjoined twin, follow up that modest cult hit with Jackpot. Jackpot is named for the town of Jackpot, NV, said in the film to be "just across the border" from Twin Falls. Like the Polish brothers' debut, it's well shot by cinematographer M. David Mullen, and is similarly full of odd, deadpan humor, but Jackpot has much more prosaic subject matter. Sunny Holiday (Jon Gries) abandons his wife Bobbi (Daryl Hannah) and their child to go in delusional pursuit of a singing career. Sunny is seemingly unaware of his lack of talent, as he and his stalwart manager Les (arrett Morris of Saturday Night Live fame) travel from one town to another, entering karaoke contests in dive bars. Life on the road has its short-lived rewards, as desperate women occasionally fall for Sunny, despite Les' efforts to keep him out of trouble. But unbeknownst to Sunny, his wife is unhappy with the lottery tickets he sends her in lieu of child support, and she's set a private detective on his trail. One of the first features shot using a Sony 24P digital camera (along with Session 9 and Star Wars: Episode 2), Jackpot captures a grimy life on the road with detailed close-ups and effective deep-focus imagery. The quirky film jumps back and forth in time to match Sunny's playing and rewinding of a tape of his favorite song, George Jones' plaintive "Grand Tour." ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
Jon Gries - Co-producer, Bic Owen - Costume Designer, Caroline F. Stephenson - First Assistant Director, Michael Polish - Director, Shawna Callahan - Editor, Stuart Matthewman - Composer (Music Score), Jonathan Daniel - Musical Direction/Supervision, M. David Mullen - Cinematographer, Mark Polish - Producer, Michael Polish - Producer, Mark Polish - Screenwriter, Michael Polish - Screenwriter
Jackpot is a 2001comedy-dramafilm directed by Michael Polish and written by Michael and his brother, Mark Polish. It had a limited release in the USA on July 27, 2001.
Sunny Holiday, an aspiring singer, abandons his wife and young daughter to embark on a tour of karaoke bars in search of the elusive big break that will catapult him to country music stardom. Living out of a pink Chrysler for months, he and his manager meet various strangers along the way, all of whom they inevitably alienate by trying to sell a concentrated household cleaner or committing some other faux pas. Eventually, the frustrations fueled by their many disappointments nearly tear their friendship apart, and they are forced to return to the lives they had left behind.
