Luck

A movie with the audacity to call itself Luck shouldn’t be so predictable. However, while this charming animated fantasy overdoses on cuteness and relentless positivity, it finds an appealing balance of laughs and heart.

Noteworthy for the involvement of former Pixar executive John Lasseter as a producer, this energetic adventure showcases an amusing batch of sight gags and quirky periphery characters for more than just the kid-friendly demographic.

The story follows Sam (voiced by Eva Noblezada), a teenager ready to age out of the foster-care system who chalks up her clumsiness to bad luck. As she adjusts to life on her own, she fears for Hazel (Adelynn Spoon), a younger girl still waiting to be adopted.

A chance to reverse her prosperity comes when Sam stumbles upon a lucky penny from a talking black cat named Bob (Simon Pegg). She promptly loses it, of course, but follows Bob down a portal to an elaborate underground kingdom of leprechauns and four-leaf clovers — overseen by an all-powerful dragon (Jane Fonda) — that control the output of good and bad luck to the human world.

Sam must keep her true identity hidden as she seeks a replacement penny for Hazel. She and Bob wind up creating a mess, attracting unwanted attention of from a senior leprechaun (Whoopi Goldberg) who becomes suspicious about their motives.

From a visual standpoint, Luck features crisply detailed animation, and it has some imaginative fun with Sam’s unlucky tendencies.

The feature directorial debut of former choreographer Peggy Holmes conveys the same bubbly optimism as its resilient protagonist. Youngsters might admire Sam’s determination while connecting with her adolescent frustrations. For the rest of us, she makes a delightfully bumbling tour guide.

Beneath the whimsical surface, the screenplay deals with worthwhile themes of family, belonging, self-esteem, and altruism. Yet small children especially will find it bogs down in convoluted plot mechanics and heavy-handed speeches, suggesting the need for more disciplined editing.

Plus, for a movie in which all the world’s good fortune can ostensibly change with the flip of a coin, the stakes feel relatively inconsequential, which mitigates some of the emotional impact.

Somehow it still works. The film might lack a definitive target audience, but ultimately that doesn’t matter. As it promotes universal harmony, the film’s multifaceted allure is more than a stroke of good luck.

Rated G, 105 minutes.