Roukin starred in the 2008 film Happy-Go-Lucky as the love interest of the main character, Poppy (played by Sally Hawkins). Jonathan Romney's review of the film on the Independent website says of Poppy that "Realising one of her pupils is unhappy, she takes action that results in her meeting a simpatico social worker (Samuel Roukin), leading to possibly the single most convincing, no-nonsense, outright charming flirtation scene I've seen in cinema." The film, directed by Mike Leigh, won a host of nominations and awards worldwide.