Good Fortune
The new film Good Fortune marks Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut on the big screen. Ansari’s film takes a classic story very similar to It’s a Wonderful Life and adds a humorous and modern take to it. The film focuses on two characters played by Ansari and Seth Rogen who have their lives traded through the help of an under performing angel played beautifully by Keanu Reeves. The story deals with how hard life can be for some people who don’t have enough money or the ability to make enough and how easy life can be for some of the rich. It deals with these heavy topics mostly with humor, which is a nice change these days.
The film does a great job of modernizing this story by relating to current events like being an Uber Eats delivery driver, working jobs that don’t pay enough, and dealing with homelessness. Don’t let these serious topics fool you though, this film is a riot. From Ansari’s sarcasm to Keanu’s amazing takes on a world he has never really experienced, this film will have you laughing out loud. It’s rated R for language, but it’s certainly not over the top language and feels very well placed. Truthfully, this is a film teenagers should watch because they’ll enjoy it, but it might also give them some perspective on life.
Ansari, Reeves and Rogen all do a great job in this film. This is quite a different role for Reeves as he’s not having to worry about being The One or avoid 100 assassins who have been sent to kill him. Many of his scenes are hysterical as he encounters things like cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, alcohol, and cigarettes for the first time. The writing is very well done and there are many quotable moments throughout the film.
While this film might not be perfect, it’s well worth a watch. While it might not be quite the escape some films are since it will hit home to some viewers, it’s still a fun watch. Hopefully Ansari will continue to make films like this and perhaps Keanu will try a few more roles that don’t involve quite so much action.
Overall 7 out of 10.
Lead image courtesy of Eddy Chen/Lionsgate
