Director
Aziz Ansari

Starring
Aziz Ansari, Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen and Keke Palmer

From the moment the film opens, director-writer-star, Aziz Ansari establishes a warm, whimsical tone that invites both laughter and reflection. In this modern fable of aspiration, inequality and never-ending search for greener pastures, Ansari weaves together high-concept fantasy with a grounded introspection, that takes the well-worn body/life-swap concept and gives it a fresh coat of realism to great results.

At the heart of this story is the delightful performance by Keanu Reeves as Gabriel, an angel whose obligation is to protect those caught ‘texting and driving’, but who has aspirations of his own to help ‘lost souls’.  Meanwhile, Ansari as Arj (a gig-economy worker juggling deliveries, app-based tasks and low-wage side jobs) offers a sympathetic, everyman to anchor the story. Opposite him, Seth Rogen plays Jeff, a rich tech-bro whose life gets swapped with Arj’s.

What’s most appealing about Good Fortune is how it doesn’t shy away from injecting real-world issues such as wealth disparity, the exhaustion of modern gig work and the emptiness of luxury, into a light, comedic framework. Ansari clearly borrows from the body-swap trope, but gets rid of the saccharine nonsense that ‘money doesn’t make you happy’ and explores the link between wealth and happiness in a much more authentic way.  The result feels fresh: you’re laughing at the absurdity of privilege and angelic oversight, but also, you’re quietly reflecting on what true fulfillment means.

The casting of Good Fortune is rock solid. Keanu Reeves is born for this role and steals every moment he’s a part of, and Seth Rogen is really on a roll with elevated characters and just nails the nuance of a life of privilege but with a charming likeability. Ansari, whilst maybe feeling a little too old for his character, adds all the humour and relatability we’d expect from him, with just a touch more depth than I was expecting.

Finally, what distinguishes Good Fortune is its tone; hopeful but grounded, whimsical but not frivolous. It doesn’t pretend to have all the answers, and sometimes the message is a little broad, but it earns its optimism. It’s a surprisingly delightful film that will leave its audience satisfied throughout.

GOOD FORTUNE is in cinemas now.