. ▁The ▁story ▁of ▁the ▁television ▁film ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁novel ▁The ▁L uck iest ▁Girl ▁in ▁the ▁World , ▁which ▁was ▁written ▁by ▁Steven ▁Le ven k ron . ▁The ▁film ▁a ired ▁on ▁the ▁USA ▁Network . ▁ ▁Plot ▁ ▁Sh y ▁and ▁with dra wn ▁Da wn ▁C ott rell ▁( K im ber lee ▁Pet erson ) ▁feels ▁as ▁if ▁she ▁is ▁unable ▁to ▁assert ▁any ▁control ▁over ▁her ▁life . ▁She ▁is ▁a ▁te en ager ▁who ▁attempts ▁to ▁please ▁the ▁world ▁but ▁feels ▁like ▁she ▁is ▁unable ▁to ▁please ▁anyone . ▁Her ▁mother , ▁Joy ce ▁( Se an ▁Young ), ▁is ▁v ind ict ive ▁and ▁seems ▁to ▁take ▁out ▁her ▁anger ▁on ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁family . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Da wn ▁feels ▁like ▁a ▁failure ▁and ▁unable ▁to ▁please ▁her ▁parents . ▁Un like ▁most ▁people , ▁who ▁are ▁able ▁to ▁express ▁extreme ▁emot ions ▁out ward ly ▁through ▁words ▁or ▁through ▁tears , ▁the ▁only ▁way ▁Da wn ▁knows ▁about ▁for ▁channel ing ▁her ▁pain ▁is ▁through ▁self - in j ury . ▁This ▁physical ▁pain ▁sec ures ▁relief ▁for ▁Da wn ▁from ▁the ▁emot ional ▁pain ▁that ▁she ▁otherwise ▁would ▁be ▁unable ▁to ▁release . ▁▁ ▁Her ▁life ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁continuous ▁series ▁of ▁disappoint ments , ▁as ▁Da wn ▁does ▁not ▁seem ▁to ▁have ▁any ▁real ▁friends ▁at ▁school . ▁Furthermore , ▁her ▁family ▁is ▁d ys function al ▁in ▁the ▁sense ▁that ▁her ▁father , ▁Russell ▁(