JACKPOT
Year: 2001
USA: Sony Pictures Classics
Cast: Jon Gries, Daryl Hannah, Garrett Morris, Ricky Trammell, Allen Fawcett, Patrick Bauchau, Adam Baldwin, Rosie O'Grady, Larry W Hunter, Peggy Lipton, Suzanne Krull, Dig Wayne, Mac Davis, Larry Pennell, Toni Oswald
Director: Michael Polish
Country: USA
USA: 100 mins
USA Rated: R for language and sexuality
USA Release Date: 27 July 2001 (Limited Release)
Synopsis
Jackpot, Nevada is a town 100 miles south of Twin Falls, Idaho but jackpot also means the payout of a slot machine wealth without effort. For Sunny Holiday (Jon Gries) the pathway to success is to become a country/western singer. Abandoning his beautiful wife Bobbi (Daryl Hannah) and a young baby he sets off with his manager Lester 'Les' Irving (Garrett Morris) on a 9-month, 43 city tour through a series of bleak western towns. The two hit the road in a 1953 pink Chrysler in search of their American dream.
They hit one bar after another, in one city after another living on what they earn that night just scraping by. That doesn't stop Sunny from sending Bobbi lottery tickets every so often - the ultimate jackpot if one ticket hits but the most desperate form of child support when they don't. Sunny dreams of going to the City of Angels but Les reminds him Sunny must pay his dues first and guides Sunny, grooming him, choosing his songs, scoping out the judges and paying before each performance always earning his 15%.
On the road Sunny never finds himself short of willing but glamorous females with each encounter less romantic than the last. Janice (Peggy Lipton) a waitress in a club takes him to her trailer home where his excitement proves too much for him. The next morning he sells her a jug of E-Z Solution extra-strength soap. Sunny takes Cheyl (Crystal Bernard) home after she passes out and meets her underage daughter Tangerine (Camillia Clouse). She seems to have been willing to have a man in her bed but Sunny ultimately avoids Tangy's tempting ways. Sunny and Les seem to be back on track when the poilice stop them on the highway.
Bobbi has reported the car stolen and Sunny ends up in jail so his brother Roland (Rick Overton) comes to his aid. He sets up a meeting with Bobbi who wants him to quit his life on the road. Les bails Sunny out and the two are broke again. Sunny fires Les for mismanaging their money and takes off with two jugs of E-Z Solution all they have left in the world. When Sunny takes refuge with his brother Tracy (Anthony Edwards), Les tracks him down. How far would you go for the jackpot?