Having seen Good Fortune with a packed crowd for its second screening of the night at Beyond Fest at American Cinematheque, the introduction that writer/director Aziz Ansari gave held true. People need to go support comedies in theaters. Good Fortune is an original feature that finds Ansari exploring similar ground to that seen in classics such as It’s a Wonderful Life, Wings of Desire, and A Matter of Life and Death, among others. Rather than primarily focusing on a romantic angle, as many of these films do, we are instead looking at this supernatural comedy as a way of shedding light on those who must submit to the gig economy, as well as the unhoused and the consequences of gentrification. With that in mind, it’s Ansari’s sense of humor, let alone this superb cast, that allows for informed yet humorous results on a frequent basis. Though even when the film is not reliant on making you laugh, one can easily see how much heart Good Fortune has to spare as well.
Ansari stars as Arj, a man struggling to make ends meet. He works odd jobs and sleeps in his car. A chance encounter lands him a brief job as an assistant to the wealthy tech bro Jeff (Seth Rogen), only for that opportunity to fall through. Despite the start of a promising relationship with Elana (Keke Palmer), a co-worker at one of his jobs, Arj really feels lost. This is where Gabriel (Keanu Reeves), an angel, comes in. Having watched Arj struggle while knowing he needs more from his immortal life than just saving people from texting while driving, Gabriel decides to take matters into his own hands and show Arj a different way of living. Problems arise when Arj clearly doesn’t see any value in going back to his own life, meaning Gabriel’s plans have backfired, causing a ripple effect, threatening the way of life for not only humans, but also himself.
See Also: Beyond Fest 2025 Review: ‘Godzilla: Final Wars’ Remains One Of The Ultimate Midnight Kaiju Movies
First things first, this film is really funny. Good Fortune is the sort of comedy that genuinely wants to acknowledge the challenges faced by those who must live on paltry wages from performing odd jobs through apps, but also knows how to mine comedy from it. The film certainly isn’t looking down on those stuck in these situations, but it makes great strides in finding ways to convey the frustrations while getting an audience to laugh in a relatable way.
Were the film to only focus on this, Good Fortune would risk eventually losing the audience due to the revelation of just how sad it is to see near-constant forms of distress come Arj’s way. Fortunately, this is where Gabriel comes in. While the movie takes time to really get its main plot into gear, we are given frequent drop-ins with this low-ranking angle (you can tell by the size of his wings), who is observing Arj while standing precariously on the tops of various buildings. Gabriel eventually questions what can be done, only to feel rebuffed by Sandra Oh’s Martha, a part of Angel Management.
We receive only limited information about the angel’s system, but that’s hardly the point. This supernatural aspect primarily serves as a catalyst for exploring how Reeves interacts with it before being relegated to living life on earth as a normal person. In either scenario, Reeves shines. His peculiar attitude is entirely fitting for an adult man with the naivety of someone figuring out how life works from a mortal’s perspective. His matter-of-fact deliveries and various reactions to real-world scenarios prove to be a great balance against the more lively natures of Ansari and eventually Rogen.
Speaking of, Rogen is having a lot of fun here as well. Leaning into the obnoxiousness of the character, while the character doesn’t really exist to understand more than the obvious during the course of his journey, and even then, the plot establishes that only so much of what is occurring matters, it is a benefit of the film to have this sort of controlled performance. Rogen is the type of performer who can get along with everyone, but having him occupy the space of someone we’re supposed to take issue with means both fans and non-fans of him can appreciate what he’s doing here.
The heart of the film not only comes in the form of the inherent sweetness of Gabriel, but also in Arj’s romantic entanglement with Palmer’s Elena. I’m not going to say Ansari has the best insights on how to craft a female character for this film, but he at least allows Elena to have plenty of agency. Rather than just being an object to be won over by saying the correct number of things, she’s a fighter looking to improve working conditions and unionize the employees. Good Fortune already has enough subplots to work with that hold back this angle from being explored further. Still, this ultimately contributes to the film’s underlying themes regarding the ways less privileged people support themselves.
There is something to be said for the ways comedies like this and its influences, including even more notable features like the great Defending Your Life, have a way of reaching the heart by considering what the common person must face in their life to understand what is truly important. I suppose that’s the nature of human comedy. Heightened worlds that allow for zanier gags can consistently deliver specific amounts of joy. Still, there’s just as much value, if not more, in seeing how humor can be used to cut through what’s at stake and work to both build up characters and supply relatable jokes.
To be clear, this is also a film with big laughs stemming from things like an Angel trying out fast food for the first time, and the stupidity of rich people who dive headfirst into certain trends because they heard it’s good for them. All of that and more, accompanied by a cast of people who know how to be funny, and Good Fortune delivers plenty in the way of good, without the need for divine intervention.
Good Fortune opens in theaters on October 17, 2025.
Beyond Fest at American Cinematheque takes place from September 23 to October 8, 2025.
For the full lineup, tickets, and more information, check out the Website.
