MANUFACTURED LUCK | Omeleto Drama

A young girl tries to win a bike.


MANUFACTURED LUCK is used with permission from Kevin Keck. Learn more at https://kevinckeck.com.


Ash is a young girl living in an Appalachian town. One day, she's left in the care of her grandfather Jim. An elderly retiree, Jim is a "sweeper" -- he enters all kinds of contests around town, from local grocery store sweepstakes to radio contests to church raffles.

Ash and Jim don't seem to have much in common with one another. But when Ash notices a sweepstakes with a much-coveted new bike as its prize, Jim sets about trying to win the bike for her, showing her the ropes of winning contests. But when time runs out in more ways than one, Ash has gained something else far more valuable than any prize.

Directed and written by Kevin Keck, this family drama is a heartfelt love letter about the unique bonds between grandparents and their grandchildren. Rendered in a warm, almost classically traditional visual style that's clear and straightforward as the community it chronicles, it is both highly specific to the all-American setting, yet deeply relatable in the evocation of familial love, with all its challenges and loyal affection.

Pared down in dialogue and evenly paced, the storytelling focuses on character, capturing Ash and Jim in their separate worlds at first. Both have their separate interests and challenges and when Jim is tasked with watching over Ash overnight, they don't have much to say to one another at first. But when Jim allows Ash to stay up with him during a stormy night, they begin to bond.

The dialogue is spare, but the direction plays close attention to detail, gesture and moment, building up a warm and sturdy relationship between the generations. Actors Peter Aylward and Azra Basile as Jim and Ash, respectively, have a gentle rapport, one that is sweet and touching to observe. The affection promises well for the future, but when that future is curtailed by tragedy, we -- and Ash -- feel the loss. But even when he is gone, Jim still makes his love for Ash felt in a way meaningful to them both.

Heartwarming and gentle, MANUFACTURED LUCK has the gift of celebrating the ordinary as something beautiful and important. It has a certain small-town charm that feels distinct and almost old-fashioned. But it is also a timeless story about the complexities of human connection and the importance of bonds between generations. They may not have much in common in terms of shared references or interests. But with a mutual willingness to enter into one another's worldviews and a shared sense of generosity, there is much to be gained in the exchange. The ending of the film is touching, because while the tone remained positive and gentle throughout, it's also clear that the window to create and nurture the bond isn't infinite. But that finiteness makes the times we do share all the more precious to experience and remember.