A Stroke of Luck (2016) Poster

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5/10
Enticing and amusing comedy with silly events , ridiculous incidents and disconcerting situations
ma-cortes5 January 2019
Amusing , bawdy but average comedy with hilarious incidents , entertainment , mayhem and fun. It deals with a little town called Villaviciosa de Al Lado where takes place a big mess when at the brothel run by Carmen Machi happens a winning lottery ticket . Villaviciosa is a town almost ruined when its known Spa goes wrong , as City Hall's debts threaten to close it . Then a lot of problems in progress. Their salvation comes when the priest , the Mayor Anselmo : Leo Harlem, and other villagers : Carlos Santos , Arturo Valls, realise they won the Christmas lottery. However , a surprising letdown ensues when they discover the winner ticket belongs to a serial number sold in the brothel and here is going to happen something very mess.

This movie is fun to see , because of the bewildering and funny situations that protagonists suffer provoke a lot of laughs and amusement.This is a bemusing picture that packs comical sketches , tongue-in-cheek , grotesque incidents , but above all, it especially contains humor and Irony, at the same time giving a sour criticism about hipocrisy , corruption and the extreme gossiping . The plot is plain , simple and silly , as a group of rogue inhabitants want to claim the winner prize and save the ruined town without suffering the angry and wrath their respective wives and they hatch a plot , to rob the prized money from the brothel .Sitting in a rare middle ground between the stylishly enjoyable and the gross bawdness. As the flick has profanities, bad taste , sex language , and lousy , lascivious scenes .Being a choral film , in Luis García Berlanga style , here shows up a great number of fine Spanish actors , in which standing out Carmen Machi as the good woman who attempts to reconcile her troublesome life as well as restore the memory of he deceased daddy. She is well accompanied by a nice plethora of players as Carlos Santos ,Macarena García , Belen Cuesta , Carmen Ruiz , Arturo Valls and the veteran Julieta Serrano . And brief appearance from Miguel Rellan and Fernando Valverde .

The motion picture was professional but regularly directed by Nacho G Velilla. He is a fine craftsman , expert on comedies and Sitcom , a notorious producer , filmmaker and writer, known for his TV series as 7 Vidas , Aida , Gominolas , and he has directed some movies , many of them starred by his fetish actor Javier Camara , such as Fuera de carta , To hell with the ugly , No manches a Frída , and his two biggest boxoffice hits : Perdiendo el norte and Villaviciosa de al lado.
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1/10
Formulaic, unfunny and just aweful. Don't bother.
iosu_vakerizzo22 July 2018
Lazy writing that relies on worn out formulas and cliches. None of the jokes are funny. Every turn and twist in this film can be seen coming from miles.

Tired script formulas make this film look like painting by numbers. I can't stop thinking of the writers ticking things off from a list rather than trying to write something original or compelling.

Don't bother.
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Spanish bawdy comedy.
Mozjoukine19 April 2017
A big hit on it's home turf there are concerns that this one may not travel - a sex comedy where the people talk dirty but there's no nudity. I hate those.

Plot developments are formula predictable. However the energy, bright colours and expert farceur cast get to be winning. The film's mean spirit proves equal opportunity The African priest manoeuvred onto breaking successive commandments gets more sympathy than the Madrid leftist who dragged his wife out of the big city to the dim backwater.

Plot offers small Spanish town Villaviciosa whose one industry, a run down spa, is failing until a syndicate lottery win offers salvation. Trouble is the husbands bought the ticket in the Club Mementos whore house and their wives will get to know if they claim. Farcical plans to get the cash cumulate in the Good Friday procession of the Holy Virgin.

Best know player in the ensemble is Carmen Machi from a couple of Almodovars and more significantly Álex de la Iglesia's MI GRAN NOCHE and El BAR.
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2/10
Written by 10yo for 10yo
leydelminimo30 November 2020
Written by a 10 years boy for his classmates. And on top of it all, the writer thinks he is the smarter in class. Cliche after cliche and on the nose information that makes you feel you are watching Sesame Street. This insult to the industry and the money it has cost is not only the writer's fault. The stupidity is all over: bright sunny days in winter time and during the nights, actors that drop their lines like a broadcaster or await their time to speak ignoring their surroundings. Every last person involved in this production should never work again. Even the clothes are not in accord for the season or the location. Shameful shameful shameful. Even for the low standards of Spanish films and specially Spanish comedies.
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10/10
Really entertaining comedy
rick-45284-3637328 November 2021
Lots of cliches and stereotypes, but well written, organized that worked together. Surprisingly good photography for this kind of comedy. I had a good time. To fully enjoy it, it will require good understanding of spaniards, and spanish culture.
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9/10
This is hilarious!
libra7701828 April 2017
There's been a long time since I laughed this loud with a comedy. I found it highly entertaining and I loved the characters. The plot seems light on the surface, but trying to get the money from the lottery tickets after the men bought them in the whorehouse proves to be a more difficult task than expected. Every character here has a reason and is perfect. I recommend this comedy.
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