The Lottery

Name: The Lottery
Genre: Drama, Documentary, News
Released: June 11, 2010
Duration: 81 min
Rating: 72

2010

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 6 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 6 Ratings

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The Lottery

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Movie Details & Credits

Gravitas Ventures | Release Date: June 11, 2010

Summary: In a country where 58% of African American 4th graders are functionally illiterate, The Lottery uncovers the failures of the traditional public school system and reveals that hundreds of thousands of parents attempt to flee the system every year. The Lottery follows four of these families from Harlem and the Bronx who have entered theirIn a country where 58% of African American 4th graders are functionally illiterate, The Lottery uncovers the failures of the traditional public school system and reveals that hundreds of thousands of parents attempt to flee the system every year. The Lottery follows four of these families from Harlem and the Bronx who have entered their children in a charter school lottery. Out of thousands of hopefuls, only a small minority will win the chance of a better future. (Variance Film)… Expand

Director: Madeleine Sackler

Genre(s): Drama, Documentary, News

Runtime: 81 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Mick LaSalle

The documentary shows the stranglehold that the teachers union has on politicians, particularly Democratic politicians. The arrogance and ignorance of some of these politicians is galling. Read full review

Joe Neumaier

Every parent in New York should see this movie and then ask why, when solutions exist, our woefully broken school system has yet to be fixed. Read full review

Gary Goldstein

As Madeleine Sackler's absorbing, often tender documentary The Lottery shows, when it comes to the world of charter education, no seemingly good deed may go unpunished -- or at least undercut. Read full review

Jeannette Catsoulis

Ignoring critical issues like financial transparency, Ms. Sackler sells her viewpoint with four admirable, striving families, each of whose tots could charm the fleas off a junkyard dog. Read full review

Michelle Orange

An electrifying community meeting finds Harlem Success president Eva Moskowitz both vilified and heralded as "our Obama" by local parents, as the unions depend on such poorly understood class and neighborhood tensions to maintain the status quo. Read full review

Eric Hynes

Director Madeleine Sackler favors an agenda of advocacy over complexity, making The Lottery an effective, if unapologetically one-sided, piece of agitprop. Read full review

John Anderson

Advocacy to the point of propaganda. Read full review

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OscarPicks2010

Nov 29, 2010

This already Oscar contender documentary hits hard on the public/charter education problems of Harlem. Combining facts and parents' emotions, Madeleine Sackler was able to pull off a gripping documentary about our childrens' future. At times the feature becomes bias and unbalanced, but TheThis already Oscar contender documentary hits hard on the public/charter education problems of Harlem. Combining facts and parents' emotions, Madeleine Sackler was able to pull off a gripping documentary about our childrens' future. At times the feature becomes bias and unbalanced, but The Lottery was good enough for the Oscar semifinalist list.… Expand

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