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Coming from Paul Feig, the director behind Ghostbusters, Bridesmaids, and Last Christmas, his latest action-comedy Jackpot! packs a star-studded cast. Set in the year 2030, the narrative follows the aftermath of the protagonist coming to know the deadly rules behind a $3.6 billion ‘Grand Lottery’ that she just clinched.
The rules allowed every other losing player to take down the winner before sundown and claim the prize, but without using guns. As such, Awkwafina’s Katie Kim stays on the run while Cena’s Noel Cassidy offers her protection, forming the main crux of the story.
Evidently, the movie is a joyride throughout its runtime that offers action coupled with a plot that, like its premise, involves the characters using bizarre and unorthodox means to seal the win for themselves while trying to keep the audience engaged.
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7 movies that bring a Jackpot! like viewing experience
Throughout its 106 minutes of runtime, Jackpot! strives to give its viewers a bit of everything. From high-octane action and chase sequences to hilarious and sometimes out-of-the-box tactics, its blend of intensity and comedic relief should leave a feel-good taste as the credits roll.
Viewers who felt in resonance with the themes and on-screen lightheartedness should find these seven recommendations ripe for consumption and in line with Jackpot!
- Guns Akimbo
- Bullet Train
- Game Night
- The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
- Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
- Knight and Day
1) Guns Akimbo (2019) - Apple TV
Taking place in an alternate near future, Guns Akimbo stars Daniel Radcliffe as Miles Lee Harris. An ordinary computer programmer, he soon falls under the radar of a criminal kingpin named Riktor, who runs an underground fight club, Skizm.
The organization’s claim to fame is live-streaming real death matches between criminals, and the protagonist’s act of insulting such viewers on Skizm’s forums triggers an act of defiance.
Soon after, henchmen bolt guns into his hands and pit him against the game’s deadliest killer, Nix. Thereafter, similar to Jackpot!, a story of survival and a humor-ridden but action-packed narrative takes over.
2) Bullet Train (2022) - Hulu, Fubo
Carrying the likes of Atomic Blonde and John Wick on his portfolio, David Leitch brought Brad Pitt to play an assassin named Ladybug in Bullet Train. However, unlike the serious and core action nature of his Keanu Reeves films, this one goes along with Jackpot! as an action comedy with a strong cast.
The story puts Pitt’s character literally on a bullet train with a mission to retrieve a briefcase full of cash. Yet, unknown to him, other assassins also lurk around him. From sleuth tactics to being thrown out of the moving train, the plot has the characters clash and collide several times in unexpected ways before a fateful payoff climax.
3) Game Night (2018) - Apple TV
Once again, going quite literally for its title, Game Night follows Jason Bateman’s Max and Rachel McAdams’ Annie along with their group of friends whose regular game night turns into a real-life mystery.
A kidnapping during the game makes it appear to the players that it is part of a sketch, but upon realizing that it is all real, they split up to find the missing person.
Down the plot, they unfold a hunt by a hardened criminal behind the crime, calling for a rescue mission. Like Jackpot!, humor, satire, life-threatening stakes, and the blurring of reality and fiction adorn Game Night.
4) The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024) - Apple TV, Prime Video
Directed by Guy Ritchie, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare stars the likes of Henry Cavill, Eiza González, and Alan Ritchson. However, unlike Jackpot!, this one is based on a true story.
Set during World War II, the film follows the real-life Operation Postmaster, an unorthodox military mission officially commissioned by Winston Churchill, with the help of Ian Fleming and a few others.
Despite its serious theme, the film draws its humor from comedic relief added to high-stakes scenes. From laughing uncontrollably when held by enemies at gunpoint to cunning dialogues and satirical banter, this spy action comedy begs to differ from the seriousness of spy films, all while being one.
5) Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020) - HBO max
Starring Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Birds of Prey added “Fantabulous Emancipation” to its title as a direct allusion to the plot. Based on DC Comics, this action comedy featured Quinn on the run from Gotham City’s crime lord.
During the course of this, she teams up with an all-women cast to save a young girl from the criminal underworld.
The outspoken departure from common action thrillers comes from Quinn adopting a hyena, each member of her new team featuring one notorious power set, and the visuals adding a touch of glee. Finally, clever use of music and a story of survival to emancipation brings it closer to Jackpot!
6) Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) - Prime Video, Apple TV
Featuring Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer, and Michelle Monaghan, among others, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang follows Jackpot! with themes of survival, deception, and teamwork.
Laden with tongue-in-cheek satire, the flick binds humor with mystery as mistaken identity serves as a recurring plot device.
The story followed Downey Jr.’s Harry Lockhart as a small-time thief mistaken for an actor while hiding from the police in a movie set. Sent for auditions, he meets his childhood crush, but the charm disappears as a dead body and a missing girl embroil him in a murder mystery. A climactic showdown and action with humor form its core.
7) Knight and Day (2010) - HBO max
A prominent two-character-focused story, action, survival, deception, and comedy ties Knight and Day to Jackpot! Starring Tom Cruise as a secret agent on the run and Cameron Diaz as one who gets unwittingly connected to the former, the story is one globe-trotting affair.
Striving to protect an infinite energy source from falling into the wrong hands, Cruise’s character crash-lands a plane, goes on a high-speed highway chase, and engages in a climactic showdown while witty dialogues add tone.
Additionally, the narrative also touches on romance while primarily being an action comedy filled with suspense, shootouts, and great combat scenes.
Viewers who enjoyed the slightly hyperbole plot of Jackpot! and enjoyed its humor and action should find these above listed seven movies fill in their thirst for similar ones.
