'Jackpot!' has a winning star in Awkwafina but never pays off

Finally, a movie for everyone who read Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and wished it had been a comedy.

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Paul Feig’s “Jackpot!” is a farcical twist on an old story that, if it doesn’t remind people of Jackson’s short story will surely sound familiar to those who enjoyed “The Purge” and its sequels. In a near-future California, buying a lottery ticket enters you a chance to win billions. But there’s a catch.

Everyone else is free to try to kill the winner and take the prize money. The “winner” has until sundown to survive and keep their money. The only rule: No guns. Hovering drones keep an eye on winners, helping violent mobs find their way to him or her. This state-sponsored “Hunger Game” is the new low for a government depleted of funds. Meanwhile, the local TV news chipperly announces a few new billionaires every day.

My principle disappointment with “Jackpot!” is that they didn’t go with a title like “Mega Murders” or its original name: “Grand Theft Lotto.” This is a very high concept for a comedy, one that Feig and screenwriter Rob Yescombe lean into to craft a mildly entertaining, streaming-only comedy that’s only a touch less disposable than a losing Powerball ticket.