''Lucky Break'' (released in the United States as ''Paperback Romance'') is a 1994 Australian

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...

film directed and written by

Ben Lewin Ben Lewin (born 1946) is an Australian Film director, film and television director. Early life and education Ben Lewin was born in Poland. As a child, he emigrated with his family to Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. At the age of six, he con ...

, about an eccentric

romance novel A romance or romantic novel is a genre fiction novel that primarily focuses on the relationship and Romance (love), romantic love between two people, typically with an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. Authors who have contributed ...

ist. Actress

Rebecca Gibney Rebecca Catherine Gibney is a New Zealand actress known for her roles on Australian television in '' The Flying Doctors'', '' Halifax f.p.'', ''Packed to the Rafters'', ''Winter'' and '' Wanted''. She has also featured in a number of Australia ...

was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role by the

Australian Film Institute The Australian Film Institute (AFI) was founded in 1958 as a non-profit organisation devoted to developing an active film culture in Australia and fostering engagement between the general public and the Cinema of Australia, Australian film indu ...

in 1995 for her role in the film. The film was a critical success in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

but flopped at both the domestic and international box office, where it received generally mixed reviews from critics.

Plot

Sophie (

Gia Carides Gia Carides (; born 7 June 1964) is an Australian actress. She portrayed Liz Holt in ''Strictly Ballroom'' (1992), Susy Connor in '' Brilliant Lies'' (1996), and Cousin Nikki in the ''My Big Fat Greek Wedding'' franchise (2002–2023). Early ...

) is an

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Aus ...

ist, with a wild imagination. She is also a

polio Poliomyelitis ( ), commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 75% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe ...

survivor who cannot walk without crutches and a leg brace and who is used to indulging her romantic and lustful fantasies (all of which are shown onscreen) only in her imagination and through her novels. After she breaks her leg and finds herself treated normally for the first time in her life, Sophie meets and begins a relationship with Eddie (Anthony LaPaglia). Similarly to one of Sophie's bodice-ripping page-turners, though, Eddie is about to marry his wealthy and shrewish fiancée, Gloria (Rebecca Gibney) and is also under police investigation for a recent jewelry robbery.

Cast

as Sophie *

Anthony LaPaglia Anthony LaPaglia (, ; born 31 January 1959) is an Australian actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen he has received several accolades including three AACTA Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. For his starring role as Jac ...

as Edward 'Eddie' Murcer *

as Gloria Wrightman *

Robyn Nevin Robyn Anne Nevin (25 September 1942) is an Australian actress recognised with the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards and the JC Williamson Award at the Helpmann Awards for her outstanding contributions to Australian theatre performance art. F ...

as Anne-Marie LePine *

Marshall Napier James Marshall Napier (22 October 1951 – 14 August 2022) was a New Zealand-born character actor, playwright and graphic artist. He is known for a succession of strong supporting roles in Australasian films and television shows. He also had a ...

as George LePine *

Nicholas Bell Nicholas Bell (born 15 August 1958) is an English actor who has worked in Australia for more than 30 years. Bell works regularly with the Melbourne Theatre Company as well as with all the major television broadcasters in Australia, most notabl ...

as Sophie's Doctor *

Jacek Koman Jacek Koman (born 15 August 1956) is a Polish actor and singer. Early life Koman was born in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, to actors Halina Koman (née Dobrowolska; born 3 January 1923) and Adam Koman (24 December 1922 – 1 December 2005), and ca ...

as Detective Yuri Borodinoff *

Michael Veitch Michael Veitch (born 29 November 1962 in Melbourne) is an Australian author, actor and broadcaster, best known for his roles on the sketch comedy television shows '' The D-Generation'', '' Fast Forward'' and '' Full Frontal'', as well as for hi ...

as Detective Sergeant Scott *

Mary-Anne Fahey Mary-Anne Fahey (born 19 August 1955 as Mary-Anne Waterman) credited also as Maryanne Fahey, is an Australian actress, comedian, screenwriter and children's author. Career Fahey has starred in and written for numerous TV and film comedy program ...

as Myra *

Lynda Gibson Lynda Jane Wiseman "Gibbo" Gibson (21 March 1956 – 2 January 2004) was an Australian comedian and actress. Early life and education Lynda Jane Wiseman Gibson was born on 21 March 1956.(4 January 2004 ''The Age''. Retrieved 10 November 2018. ...

as Carol

Reception

The film received rave reviews but did not do well at the box office, opening tenth in Australia with a gross of $114,950 in its first week. It went on to gross just $197,540 in Australia. On

review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...

website

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...

, the film has a score of 33% based on 9 reviews, with an average rating of 5.4/10. David Stratton of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' wrote "''Lucky Break'' adds a few new wrinkles to the venerable and resurgent formula of romantic comedy. Writer/director Ben Lewin comes up with some oddball ideas again, but his screenplay lacks the wit and zaniness that might have propelled this modest offering into wider distribution".

References

External links

*
''Lucky Break''
at Oz Movies 1994 romantic comedy films 1994 films Australian romantic comedy films Films directed by Ben Lewin 1990s English-language films 1990s Australian films English-language romantic comedy films Metafictional works United International Pictures films {{1990s-romantic-comedy-film-stub