Good Fortune
Good Fortune
In Good Fortune, Ansari plays a down-on-his-luck guy who is working myriad jobs. He's hired by a new acquaintance (played by Seth Rogen), who lives in the Hollywood Hills, to do various jobs for him - put in a disco floor, fix the pool heater. Keanu Reeves "valley" angel makes it so Rogen's rich guy situation is swapped with Ansari, so the latter has the former's life.
mhamreus reviewed18h ago
Good Fortune isn’t breaking new ground, body-swap stories have been around forever, from Freaky Friday to The Prince and the Pauper and every riff in between. But what makes this one work is the message. In a world split harder than ever between the haves and the have-nots, the film’s reminder to actually see each other to pay attention to the struggles others carry, feels more relevant now than it did decades ago. Nothing has really changed, which is probably why this theme still hits.
Performance-wise, nobody here is winning a golden anything. Keanu does what Keanu does, but honestly? It’s nice to see him play a better Ted than the Ted he gave us in the last Bill & Ted movie. Aziz feels like he’s dialing in the same Aziz performance he’s been giving for years. Meanwhile, Seth Rogen turns in the most surprising performance of the three easily his strongest in a long time, second only to the standout female lead who ends up grounding the film emotionally.
Despite its familiar structure and uneven acting, Good Fortune still works because it leans into something simple and true:
Everyone thinks someone else has it easier, until they live a day in their life.
Not a masterpiece, not trying to be one, but absolutely worth the watch for a few laughs and a message we all need.