Balls Up

Jenny, a clever script assistant, lives with Geoff, recently returned to Toronto from Hollywood to direct a televised lottery show. Jenny comes up with a scheme for beating the lottery, which involves the seduction of Byron, an accountant who was hired to keep the lottery honest after the previous accountant dropped dead during the show. As the scheme proceeds, difficulties arise. A cleaning man, originally from India, is suspicious when he sees the lottery - supposedly live - being pre-taped; and the person chosen to buy the winning ticket is pursued by a loan shark. As the scheme unwinds, more and more people in Toronto - and India - learn the winning numbers of the upcoming draw. Meanwhile, Jenny and the accountant start falling in love. Her determined efforts ultimately turn an imminent disaster into a financial and romantic success.

Directed by Alan Ehrlich, Balls Up leans on a strong ensemble — Albert Schultz, Torri Higginson, Ellen Dubin — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1997.