GOOD FORTUNE
(director/writer: Aziz Ansari; cinematographer: Adam Newport-Berra; editor: Daniel Haworth; music: Carter Burwell; cast: Aziz Ansari (Ari), Seth Rogen (Jeff), Keanu Reeves (Gabriel), Elena (Keke Palmer), Sandra Oh (Martha); Runtime: 98; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Alan Yang, Jon Humphrey, Aziz Ansari, Brady Fujikawa; Lionsgate; 2025)
“Earnest but ill-conceived high-concept fantasy film.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Filmmaker Aziz Ansari (“Being Mortal”) awkwardly executes this earnest but ill-conceived high-concept fantasy film about the wide gap in wealth between the ultra-rich and the rest of America. He’s also the producer and writer of this action dramedy, who previously directed and starred as a comedian in Netflix’s “Master of None.”
Ansari shoots this message film as a magical life-swap comedy, with a set-up akin to Eddie Murphy’s Trading Places (1983).
The wealthy venture capitalist Jeff (Seth Rogen), a tech bro, lives lavishly in a Bel Air mansion overlooking Los Angeles, while Ari (Aziz Ansari) lives in his rundown car and can barely survive on his meager income from various low-level jobs such as a gig worker and a job in a hardware store. Jeff hires Ari to be his assistant for his private company, but fires him when he uses the company credit card while out on a date with hardware co-worker Elena (Keke Palmer), as he tries to make himself look important.
Both men are watched over by the bored inept guardian angel Gabriel (Keanu Reeves), who is managed by the disapproving Martha (Sandra Oh). She disciplines him by taking away his wings for in the past misusing his powers.
Gabriel wants to help make things better for the poor Ari by having him switch places with the rich Jeff for only a few days. He believes the wealthy Jeff would thereby see the light and fight for a fairer capitalist system. But Jeff does not want to be anything but wealthy.
The characters are bland, it’s only mildly amusing and it has too many confusing subplots in its uneven screenplay. But it offers a positive message for the country to have a fairer economic system.
Unfortunately, the angelic idea of making things more equal in society loses its freshness, as the one joke film keeps floating superficial life lessons that don’t resonate.
It played at the Toronto Film Festival.
REVIEWED ON 10/21/2025 GRADE: C+
dennisschwartzreviews.com