Aziz Ansari has just come out with his feature film directorial debut- and it’s an absolute delight. While it may not be making as much money as tired sequels such as Tron: Ares and Black Phone 2, its sincerity is something to behold. It’s pretty ironic really, the film makes commentary on the ways the rich keep getting richer, among other things, and in real life, these blockbusters are blowing original IPs out of the water. Though commercially it may not be an overwhelming success, it won this writer’s heart.
Aziz Ansari. Keke Palmer. Seth Rogen. Keanu Reeves. Sandra Oh. If seeing these names on a poster together doesn’t get you excited, what is wrong with you? Taking his subtle comedy seen across his career, from Parks and Recreation to Master of None, Ansari has concocted a delightful modern fable we can all learn from. With a hell of cast, a fun-loving premise, and a whole lot of whimsy, Good Fortune deserves to be seen by more people.
A comedic slow burn
The film itself isn’t anything brand spankin’ new. As most good writers do, Ansari stole! He took two of the best movie plot concepts, the ‘trading places’ story and the ‘fish out of water’ story, combining them to make a quietly comedic masterpiece. The beats may be familiar, but its the zesty modern comedy that really shakes things up, not to mention the casting.
Keanu Reeves may actually just be an angel, sent from above, as far as anyone knows. In this film, he’s brilliantly casted as ‘Gabriel’, an angel who’s wings are just a little bit smaller than others’. He wants to make a difference in someone’s life, and that someone is Arj, played perfectly by the quick-talking and likable Ansari.
Of course, with Rogen, Palmer, and Oh in the main cast as well, this film has STAR POWER! They all work together so well, and it appears that it must have been such a fun time making this project come to life. Its goofy, but not all at once. Ansari is smart to wait a while before injecting his story with screwball hysterics. But when the laughs come- and they come fast and furious– you’ll be remembering why life is worthwhile.
A good message
This film, (as with many other films including angels and characters who deem their lives as hopeless), is about hope. Its about love. Its about life. The best movies, at then end of the day, give us something to think about and something to smile about, and I was grinning ear to ear for damn near the entire runtime.
A lot of films and TV shows and other forms of media are awfully dark these days. And they have their place, for sure! But real life itself can be pretty scary these days too, and that’s also something this story speaks to. While it may seem ‘forced’ as some critics seem to think, I think that Ansari’s messaging is blatant on purpose. Look around people! This is what we’re dealing with!
Ansari cleverly comments on the state of the workforce in modern day America. How most people have a very hard time living day to day. He tackles unionization, man vs technology, tech bros, and more, and he does so with a subtly charming style. By placing a fantastical story in modern day L.A., the film is able to poke fun at the day-to-day grind that so many people deal with, creating a relatable, jovial, and heart-warming tale.
A good-looking, good-feeling movie, with heart
This film is not reinventing the wheel, and that much is clear from the get. As we see a sad looking Keanu Reeves with tiny angel wings looking down at L.A. from the tops of buildings, we are prepared to laugh our asses off. And Keanu Reeves- forget about John Wick- please keep making light hearted comedies. (This stuff is way better than endless gun-fu and car chases, there’s enough of that in the action genre).
Ansari wants you to care about all of these characters, placing them in situations that are near hopless, complicated, and unearthly. Once things start getting really twisty, you’ll be laughing so much, to the point where you forget how it all began. But the smaller, more emotional moments work just as well, and that’s what makes this such a satisfying movie-going experience.
The humor ranges from dumb to very clever, and yet the satire is always sharp. Carter Burwell’s whimsical and comforting score gives the film a perfect “vibe”. The human experience is all we have, after all, and movies are just one way of us trying to make sense of it all. And Ansari has his hand right on that pulse. Sometimes, the answer is simple. Sometimes all you need is to have tacos, go dancing, and laugh with the people you love.
Tom Haverford who?
Aziz Ansari has delivered an extremely confident and entertaining film debut as writer and director, and I’m very excited to see what he comes up with next. More and more movies these days are extremely boring, for one reason or another. So many filmmakers are trying to one up the most recent psychological-horror or big budget action movie- and a lot of it seems like a waste.
Its films like Good Fortune that reminds us what works so well in Hollywood- comedy. Sometimes we just need to watch our favorite movie stars let off some steam, and goof off with each other. But hey, if the story they’re telling is poignant and resonates on a wide scale, well, that’d be pretty fantastic too.
So here’s to Ansari and company, coming up with something old-fashioned yet fresh, and giving us a great time at the movies. If you appreciate your life, and, I hope you do, then get your butt to the movie theaters!
Good Fortune is currently playing in theaters.
