Name: Good Fortune
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Released: 2025-10-17
Rating: 6
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh, Aziz Ansari

A clueless but well-meaning angel, Gabriel, stirs up chaos when he meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker and a wealthy venture capitalist.

Good Fortune

Times of India

Firstpost

The idea of swapping lives to learn gratitude is hardly new in cinema. Yet, in Good Fortune, writer-director and lead actor Aziz Ansari gives this familiar trope a fresh spin. Arj is a struggling man juggling odd jobs and sleeping in his car — a life he clearly despises. When his car gets towed for multiple parking tickets and he’s left homeless, Gabriel steps in. The angel swaps Arj’s body with that of Jeff, a ridiculously rich investor, to show him that wealth isn’t the key to happiness. However, the plan doesn’t go as intended.
Unlike most films in this genre, Good Fortune doesn’t reveal a hidden darkness behind the riches. Arj enjoys the upgrade, refusing to return to his former reality, while Jeff is desperate to get his life back. Gabriel too ends up stranded on Earth, stripped of his powers and forced to work like everyone else. How Gabriel and Jeff end up as roommates (one sleeping over the comforter and the other under it) and how the trio adjust to their altered circumstances makes for a fun, often insightful watch.
Beneath the film’s humour lies a commentary on the modern gig economy. Arj takes up multiple menial jobs through a task management app — standing in queues, cleaning garages, delivering food — while also holding a hardware store job. As Gabriel tries to earn a living as a human, he discovers how little remains after taxes, health insurance, and social security deductions. Everyone seems to be working three jobs just to survive, leaving no room for rest or joy. The movie doesn’t romanticise hardhsips but sends a message to capitalists: treat your workers with empathy, or risk an uprising.
Tonally, the film stays light and breezy, with plenty of laughs, though its flow remains inconsistent, especially faltering midway, during Arj’s indulgence in Jeff’s world. Still, it regains momentum with a heartfelt message.
Keanu Reeves is delightful as Gabriel — the “dum-dum angel” with tiny wings whose celestial duties include saving people texting while driving. His comic frustration at human discomforts like sweating, hunger, and taxes makes him both amusing and endearing. Aziz Ansari and Seth Rogen impress with their comic timing and convincing portrayals. Keke Palmer stands out as the hardware store worker pushing for labour rights, and Sandra Oh leaves a mark in her brief but memorable appearance.
Good Fortune is witty, warm, and unexpectedly poignant — a clever comedy with heart, humour that makes its message resonate.

After impressing the audience with his bang-on comic timing, Aziz Ansari made his feature directorial debut with Good Fortune. While the ensemble and promotional assets have created a great deal of curiosity, let’s find out whether they impress the cinegoers or not…

The story begins with an angel named Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) whose work is to save people who are texting while driving by just giving a pat on the back. He observes Arj (Aziz Ansari), who is down on luck and does odd jobs for a living. While he does get a better job as an assistant for a wealthy socialite named Jeff (Seth Rogen), he goes to down all-time low after being fired from there, and to make the scenario worse, his car gets towed from the parking plot where he used to sleep.
And post that, we saw a turnaround of lives and situation, which is beautifully presented and executed by Aziz Ansari as he gives the message of hope with a perfect touch of humour and a feel-good experience.

Apart from wit, the film gives you an open-hearted warmth, which will make you count your blessings and smile in unpleasant situations and consequences.
Apart from doing an impeccable job as an actor, Aziz leaves a huge impact with his clever writing and direction. Watching Keanu in a non-John Wick avatar is a treat to watch, as his innate charm and innocence make you fall for him instantly. Rogen plays his role of venture capitalist to perfection and hits every emotion with finesse. The supporting cast, including Keke Palmer and Sandra Oh, play their roles to the T.

On the whole, Good Fortune is a breath of fresh air, and surprisingly, one of the best comedies of 2025.

Good Fortune (2025) Official Trailer - Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari, Keke Palmer, Keanu Reeves

A Canadian actor, filmmaker and musician, Keanu Reeves has won several awards and accolades for his work throughout his career. He is best known for his performances in films like The Matrix series, Constantine, Speed, Dangerous Liaisons, Point Break, Bram Stoker's Dracula and the John Wick series. Known for playing stoic reserved characters, Reeves has also been associated with theater. He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the year 2005.

Keanu Reeves

Seth Rogen is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and filmmaker. His most famous roles include that of Steve Wozniak in the 2015 Steve Jobs biopic and his supporting role in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. His other noted works include films like The Interview, Neighbors and its sequel, This Is the End and Sausage Party. He has received several awards and nominations for his work over the years.

Seth Rogen

Lauren Keyana "Keke" Palmer is an American actress, singer and television personality. Known for playing leading and character roles in comedy-drama productions, she has received a Primetime Emmy Award, six NAACP Image Awards, and nominations for a Daytime Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Keke Palmer

Sandra Miju Oh is a Canadian-American actress. She is best known for her starring roles as Cristina Yang on the ABC medical drama series Grey's Anatomy and Eve Polastri in the spy thriller series Killing Eve.

Good Fortune(2025)