Kevin Carson a young man living in the projects, is just an ordinary Guy -- until he wins $370 million in the Mondo Millions Lottery. That's the good news. The bad news is, the lottery claim office is closed for the long Fourth of July weekend, so, before he can collect his prize, Kevin is going to have to figure out how to keep a lid on his good fortune and survive the next three days. As news of his windfall spreads through the community like a grass fire, Kevin quickly discovers the good, the bad and the ugly in his closest friends and neighbors. Girls who could never be bothered before start chasing him down. Everyone wants a piece of him-including the reverend, the local loan shark and one very threatening recent parolee won't take no for an answer. On edge and on the run, he even begins to question the intentions of his best friend, Benny. He also starts to realize the power he holds in his hands and what this lottery ticket could really mean to him, his future, and the community. It's funny what people will do when money is involved. - skip ad - Genres: Comedy Running Time: 1 hr. 35 min. Release Date: August 20th, 2010 (wide) MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, language including a drug reference, some violence and brief underage drinking. Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution Cast And Credits Starring: Shad 'Bow Wow' Gregory Moss, Ice Cube , Brandon T. Jackson, Naturi Naughton, Keith Directed by: Erik White Produced by: Timothy M. Bourne, Ice Cube , Steven Wegner

The comedy “Lottery Ticket” may be the video director Erik White’s first feature, but the prevailing presence in this crowd-pleaser is Ice Cube, whose evolution from hip-hop threat to screen paterfamilias is now complete. (Was he really once one of gangsta rap’s founding fathers in N.W.A.? I guess he’s been busy masterminding the “Friday,” “Barbershop” and “Are We There Yet?” franchises — and being an executive producer here.)




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View Clip... In Abdul Williams’s well-oiled script, the high school graduate Kevin Carson (the actor-singer-rapper Bow Wow, nicely transitioning into a matinee idol) aspires to be a sneaker designer, but escape from the projects doesn’t look likely. His unemployed buddy, Benny (Brandon T. Jackson), isn’t helping.

But at least there’s Stacie (Naturi Naughton, the best part of the “Fame” remake) — the churchgoing girl his grandmother (Loretta Devine) approves of — who’s there when a fortune cookie supplies the winning numbers to a $370 million jackpot. Before long his neighbors, as well as a loan shark (Keith David), a stunning temptress (Teairra Mari) and a bully (Gbenga Akinnagbe, from “The Wire”), all want a piece of him.

A big, vivid supporting cast — including Faheem Najm (a k a the rapper T-Pain) and the comedians Charlie Murphy and Mike Epps — is a strong asset, as are messages about sexual responsibility and charity in the ’hood. Most surprising is the dissing of rappers: “What are they giving back besides shout-outs?” says an indignant Stacie.

This in a movie starring Ice Cube as a reclusive, sagacious ex-boxer and the film’s heart. Referring to the neighbors, he tells Kevin to “let ’em know I still got it.” And he certainly does.