Jerry and Marge Go Large

If you had the chance to win the lottery, what would you do with the winnings? Would you spend it on yourself or would you give back to your loved ones? For Jerry and Marge Selbee, the thrill of the game drives them to win big and give back just as much. Directed by David Frankel and based on the actual story of Jerry and Marge Selbee, the film Jerry and Marge Go Large has the winning numbers to tug at your heartstrings…and possibly your funny bone. 

When Jerry Selbee (Bryan Cranston) retires after forty-two years at his job as a production line manager he finds himself longing for something new to focus on. Conservative with his finances and a man good with the numbers, Jerry then finds a loophole within the local WinFall lottery game and decides to test out it out to increase his and his wife’s retirement fund. The moment that his gamble pays off and he begins to profit from his theory, Jerry lets his wife Marge (Annette Bening) in on his plans and she’s ready to throw their money down on the biggest gamble ever. Unfortunately for Jerry and Marge, their WinFall days in Michigan come to an end as the game is phased out in their state.  

But instead of giving in they find themselves heading to Massachusetts where the game is alive and well. There they encounter and befriend one kooky but lovable convenience store clerk named Bill (Rainn Wilson) and an adventure that not only rejuvenates their marriage but also their town of Evart, Michigan. Unfortunately, Jerry is not the only one who discovers the loophole when MIT student Tyler (Uly Schlesinger) also finds the WinFall flaw and recruits his fellow classmates to help him profit from the game’s flaw. In a race against snarky college students and a reporter named Maya (Tracie Thoms) exposing the WinFall game’s loophole, Jerry and Marge find that their love for their hometown, friends, family and each other keep them coming back for more.

While at first I found myself absolutely in love with Cranston and Bening’s performance as the title characters…it’s the entire casting for Jerry and Marge Go Large that rounds it all out. Don’t get me wrong, Cranston and Bening are iconic and bring the Selbees to life, but it’s the townspeople and those they befriend who provide their characters with the authenticity and support needed to tell their story. Whether it be Howard (Michael McKean) seeking to revive Jazz Fest, Steve (Larry Wilmore) trying to find peace as a widower,or son Ben (Jake McDorman) seeking to bridge his relationship with Jerry towards common ground, it is these stories that give Jerry and Marge the drive to go big…and then come home.  

Jerry and Marge Go Large is heartwarming story that has you always rooting for the underdog, namely the Selbees. But it’s not just Jerry and Marge that you fall in love with, it’s the town of Evart. It’s the stories of their neighbors and children that remind you why Jerry and Marge continue making the long journey to Massachusetts to make a difference in the lives of those they love.  Ultimately, it’s also in helping others that Jerry and Marge find true happiness is more than just money….Well, the thrill of winning also doesn’t hurt.