Paul Feig hits the jackpot with funny performances by Awkwafina and John Cena

In the not-too-distant future, California sets up a massive lottery that turns into the Golden State’s version of “The Purge,” as residents are allowed to kill the winner before sunset to collect the billion-dollar prize; guns are not allowed. Awkwafina plays one of the lucky (unlucky?) winners on the run, trying to stay alive, aided by a freelance security agent played by John Cena. “Jackpot!”, directed by Paul Feig (“Bridesmaids”), is full of laughs and action.

In a cameo, Seann William Scott kicks the story off with an opening scene where a mob chases him through the streets. He just won the lottery, so everyone is trying to kill him to collect the winnings. A drone alerts everyone to his whereabouts (via a cell phone app) and suddenly Los Angeles turns into Panem. So, to reiterate, if the lottery winner stays alive until sundown, he keeps the money. And if you kill the lottery winner before time is up, the jackpot is yours. The only condition is that you can’t use any weapons.

Former child actress Katie Kim (Awkwafina) returns to LA after retiring from show business many years ago, hoping to revive her acting career. At an audition, she is announced as the youngest winner of the Grand Lottery. Unaware of the state competition, she believes all the blonde Barbie lookalikes trying to kill her are just competing for the acting role. “Jesus, Hollywood has become extremely competitive,” she exclaims as she dodges high heels being used as weapons.

While everyone from the ladies in a Pilates class to the martial arts students try to kill Katie, she is rescued by freelance security agent Noel Cassidy (John Cena), who tells her, “The first five takedowns are free” (while hurling people into walls), followed by, “After that, it’s ten percent.” That’s right. For ten percent of her lottery winnings ($3.6 billion), he will protect her until sundown.

There is a way out of the chaos. If Katie makes it to the Grapevine on the outskirts of LA, she’ll no longer be a target, but she’ll also lose the jackpot. She decides the money isn’t worth it, and Noel agrees to help her, even though he’ll lose his ten percent, because he’s a nice guy (a really NICE GUY).

When everyone is going at Katie and Noel, the non-stop action can get tiring, with the residents of Los Angeles looking like crazed zombies from a Danny Boyle movie. Still, Cena looking dapper in a three-piece suit with Awkwafina on his back dressed like a cross between MC Hammer and C3PO is a real laugh. The comedy is both physical and composed of quick one-liners.

Look for a cameo from the wonderful Dolly De Leon, who gave a stellar performance in Ghostlight earlier this year. The supporting cast includes Ayden Mayeri as Katie’s clueless roommate Shadi (she’s very funny) and Donald Elise Watkins as Shadi’s equally clueless boyfriend DJ, who is also a DJ (of course). Simu Liu shows up as a rival protection agent who runs a major corporation, making Noel look like a supporting player. But as expected, he’s a jerk and the villain of the story. Also look for a cameo from Machine Gun Kelly, whose mansion (complete with a panic room) becomes a temporary refuge for Katie and Noel.

“Jackpot!” was written by Rob Yescombe and features a lot of improvised dialogue, as evidenced by the numerous outtakes during the end credits. That’s not a bad thing, as I was laughing out loud for most of the film. John Cena and Awkwafina make a good team. Cena’s bulky physique, endearing charm, and Awkwafina’s quick wit and hyperactive personality are comedic gold. This is a nice comeback for Paul Feig.

(3 stars)

Stream now on Amazon Prime Video

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