“Good Fortune” follows a well-meaning but inept angel named Gabriel who meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker and wealthy venture capitalist.
Comedy With Unexpected Heart
The best kinds of movies are those that don’t care about perceptions. You probably wouldn’t expect a film starring Keanu Reeves as an angel alongside Aziz Ansari, Seth Rogen and Keke Palmer to be anything more than a comedy. “Good Fortune” is quite the surprise, however, delivering one of the most emotionally fulfilling experiences of the year.
The film explores themes of privilege, happiness, wealth inequality and the basic meaning behind small decisions humans make on a daily basis. The body-swap nature of “Good Fortune” may sound cliché (and it is to some degree), but the end result is anything but.
By exploring two vastly different individuals alongside another who is only just learning to be human, the movie provides a trio of satisfying character arcs.
Performances That Carry Real Emotion… and Humor
These characters are propelled by the performances of Reeves (Gabriel), Ansari (Arj) and Rogen (Jeff). This is the funniest Reeves has been in years, stoically delivering line after line of comedy to sheer perfection. Amidst the humor, Reeves adds heart to his character through facial expressions and varied line delivery. Both Ansari and Rogen are equally strong. Ansari specifically takes on the emotional brunt, highlighting a range of feelings through his performance. Rogen delivers his usual schtick, plus just a bit more heart than usual.
Palmer (Elena) is also a notable addition. She has tremendous chemistry with Ansari throughout the runtime, with the pair constantly bouncing off each other. Palmer stands out on her own through several meaningful monologues.
These characters’ journeys hammer home the movie’s core messages. As it’s seen onscreen just how much they’ve overlooked certain aspects of their lives, the audience is able to reflect on their real-world experiences as well. This creates a cathartic element, as viewers can see bits and pieces of themselves in each of the characters.
Simplicity That Works in its Favor
There are plenty of laughs to be had in “Good Fortune” – at least for me, though it felt like I was the only one laughing in my entire theater. Much of the juvenile body-swap humor lands, with Ansari and Rogen’s classic styles bouncing off each other to perfection. Reeves himself is a vessel for laughs, with his straightforward persona being pitch-perfect for this role.
While many will be thrown off by the film’s editing, it ends up playing into its charm. “Good Fortune” utilizes simplistic wipe transitions time and time again. It’s not fancy, but it gets the job done nonetheless.
Aspects of “Good Fortune” are redundant. Even with a 98-minute runtime, a certain layer of repetitiveness glosses over the movie at a certain point. Still, the film doesn’t overstay its welcome, managing to tie a neat bow on each character’s journey in the process.
“Good Fortune” is surprising. Propelled by its performances, the film is hilarious – and also emotional. It approaches core societal issues with grace, making you laugh in the process. This proves to be one of 2025’s biggest cinematic surprises.
“Chicken nuggies are good.” Indeed, they are.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
