If you've ever daydreamed about what you would do if you won a million bucks in the lottery -- and, really, who of us hasn't entertained that notion? -- Millions: A Lottery Story can be instructive. Documentary maker Paul La Blanc catches up with a handful of past lottery winners and spends time with them to see if sudden wealth transformed their lives into the stuff of fantasy.

As it turns out, the answer is: Not so much. Two lotto winners eventually blew through their bonanza, while others surveyed in the doc are barely dipping into their bounty at all. But Millions doesn't come with an agenda. La Blanc does not reach for any grand statements about state-sanctioned gambling or get-rich-quick mindsets. His aim is more modest and inviting. He just wants to get to know some folks who happened to have Lady Luck on their side -- at least once in their lives.

In 1981, Louie Eisenberg won $5 million in the New York State Lottery, at that time the largest lottery prize in history. He promptly quit his job and charged into the highlife, becoming an overnight celebrity in the process. Affable and loquacious, Louie turned up as a frequent guest on TV talk shows and was interviewed by everyone from Ted Koppel to Johnny Carson. But Millions makes it clear that Louie is also something of a compulsive gambler. After a couple of divorces and far too many trips to the dog track, the 76-year-old man now resides in West Palm Beach, Florida, and struggles to afford his daily regimen of pharmaceuticals.

Two years later, another New Yorker, Curtis Sharp, bought a lottery ticket worth $5 million. Like Louie, he was catapulted to celebrity status. In fact, the two teamed up to serve as pitchmen for the New York Lottery. Curtis bought a Fleetwood Cadillac and a home in West Orange, New Jersey. But years of cocaine, bad investments and out-of-control generosity saw his money dwindle to nothing. Now he is a minister in Tennessee.

The cautionary tales of Louis and Curtis are balanced by the example of 16 lunchroom ladies in the small town of Holdingford, Minnesota. In 2003, the workers of the town's high-school cafeteria claimed a winning Powerball lottery ticket that translated into about $2 million in winnings for each employee.

Students and school officials braced themselves for the cafeteria staff to quit, but the mass resignations never happened. The women remained on the job.

In fact, none of their lives changed much at all. Barb Nelson still gets up at the crack of dawn to milk the cows on her family farm. Another cafeteria employee, Phylis Breth, took advantage of her newfound wealth by buying a refrigerator that makes ice. Then there is Susan Breth, who explains her modest tastes: "I guess I just don't go to Red Lobster and say, 'Hey, I want lobster.'"

Leisurely paced and sometimes meandering, Millions: A Lottery Story is nevertheless a good-hearted flick with a palpable fondness for its interviewees. It is easy to understand why. Filmmaker La Blanc doesn't hit upon any shattering truths, perhaps, but he finds some quirky, interesting, decent men and women who responded to sudden riches in their own unique way.

The anamorphic widescreen picture is clean and clear, although the source material appears to be occasionally soft. Aspect ratio is 1.85:1. The picture quality is adequate but has a rough-hewn quality that does not detract from the viewers' enjoyment.

The cover case advertises Dolby Digital 5.1, but the mix is actually a respectable, if unremarkable, 2.0. The dialogue-driven documentary has clear sound and a lovely musical score of ragtime piano.

No lotto payoff in this department. The DVD has no extras.

Millions: A Lottery Story is a little shambling and unfocused as documentaries go, but it scores points for a gentle spirit and sincere appreciation for the people it spotlights.