There’s no luck here. Just pure cinema.
“Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” follows a man who claims to be from the future as he takes hostages at a Los Angeles diner to recruit unlikely heroes to help him save the world.
Relentless Energy with Something on Its Mind
From the opening shot, “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” is full of energy. Whether it’s the performances, costume design, set pieces or camerawork, all of it combines for relentless entertainment.
It’s in the title. “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” is fun. But it’s also a lot more than that.
The film tackles society’s addiction to technology through different lenses. Smartphones, virtual reality, cloning and, of course, artificial intelligence all play a role in this story.
And through all of the chaos, these themes somehow resonate perfectly. “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” may seem like it’s all for laughs. But it does serve as a warning for viewers. A technology-obsessed, fabricated future could be in store for us all – if it’s not here already.
This message is hammered home again and again. While it’s oftentimes bleak, the film offers hope for humanity through our relentlessness.
Dark Comedy, Tonal Whiplash and Sci-Fi Spectacle
Dark comedy is at the forefront of the film’s successes. It dives into serious subjects like modern violence and digital dependency, but does so in such an unserious way. Sometimes it feels uncomfortable to laugh at the jokes within “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die.” But you can’t really help it. The film is that funny.
Time and time again, the film finds bizarre ways to make the audience laugh.
There are instances where tones clash because of this, however. When diving into such complex topics, there are moments where they’re taken seriously and others where they’re not. One second you may be laughing. The next, you may be questioning yourself for letting out a chuckle.
On a sci-fi level, “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” finds success in simplicity. These aren’t ideas that haven’t been explored before, but they’re done with such style. Costume designer Neil McClean nails the aesthetic, with a minimalistic yet absurd outfit at the center. The same can be said about the sets themselves, which gradually grow in absurdity as the 134-minute runtime progresses.
The final act of the film takes these visuals up past level 10. If you thought the first two-thirds of “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” were cheesy, buckle up. The last 30 minutes of the movie will lose some viewers, but those who embrace its chaos will likely be entertained.
The effects and cinematography by James Whitaker combine for some of the most memorable visuals in recent memory.
Performances and Storytelling Hold the Chaos Together
Director Gore Verbinski pieces all of these ideas together in non-chronological order, tying the characters’ backstories into the overall narrative. This approach is seamless, constantly pushing forward the overarching story while providing much-needed lore and backstory in between.
Matthew Robinson’s script can feel messy at times – much of this by design. The anthology-like approach isn’t always meant to come across as clean, but the shifting story is always intentional.
It’s these individual subplots that tend to provide the most laughs within “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die.”
Amid all the film’s other achievements, the cast deserves major credit as well.
Sam Rockwell (Man From the Future), specifically, nails the tone of his character. As soon as he steps onscreen, you know what kind of movie you’re in for. Rockwell is completely unserious at times while demanding attention in others. It’s a well-rounded performance for a character who is both motivated and lackadaisical at once.
Alongside him are Haley Lu Richardson (Ingrid), Michael Peña (Mark), Zazie Beetz (Janet), Juno Temple (Susan), Asim Chaudhry (Scott) and many more.
Richardson is the emotional heartbeat of the story in many ways. She leans into mystery for the majority of the film, but delivers emotional moments through simple delivery and subtle mannerisms.
Artie Wilkinson-Hunt also deserves applause. There are several sequences where a lot of weight is placed on his shoulders. He delivers.
“Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” is pure chaos. It’s relentlessly entertaining while also delivering a timely message. Through its innate weirdness, the film crafts a memorable identity that champions humanity.
Rating: 5 out of 5
