To hear a story from Azrael (Stephen McKinley Henderson) is to know the full potential of an angel’s work. He doesn’t just worry about natural disasters or inspiring genius––he saves lives by reminding lost souls of their value. Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) cannot help but be in awe and want to follow those footsteps. But he’s low on the totem pole with wings that barely extend past his shoulder blades. Martha (Sandra Oh) has him gently nudging text-and-drivers into looking up from their phones. He’s a meter maid yearning to be a rock star.
When he witnesses one of his would-be fender-bender victims texting how he’s lost hope in life, Gabriel believes this is his chance to show he’s ready for the big. So he ignores the task at-hand to prevent Elena (Keke Palmer) from backing into a light post and touches her co-worker Arj (Aziz Ansari) to make himself visible to him instead. What he doesn’t realize, though, is that Azrael’s job isn’t easy, something anyone can do. And if he’s not careful with his methods, he might end up making things a whole lot worse.
Writer-director Ansari takes the premise of the angel movie and turns it on its head with Good Fortune by targeting a man without a support system. Think about It’s a Wonderful Life: George Bailey has a great family and loyal friends, but he chooses to carry his uncle’s burden alone; Clarence arrives to remind him that love makes him the richest man on Earth, knowing that fact will save him from the desperation that drives him to suicide. It’s not the process that saves George, but the reality to which he’s become blinded.
To use a similar process on Arj proves colossally misguided––his life doesn’t have anything in it for salvation. Why? Because surviving as a member of the working class in America today is to always be one medical emergency from bankruptcy. Arj is hanging on by a thread, and Gabriel’s attempt to assure him better days are on the horizon fails miserably when “better than” destitution is revealed to be the equally demoralizing status of “barely scraping by.” And, somehow, Gabriel’s course-correction proves even worse.
Enter Jeff (Seth Rogen), a tech billionaire who could be Arj’s best friend if circumstances were different. As they are, however, the former will always be looking down upon the latter with pity (if not disdain in more vile cases). Arj simply cannot see the appeal of his own life grinding away with nothing to show for it when people like Jeff literally just pay their employees to make them more money than they could ever spend. So, in great cinematic fashion, Gabriel places Arj in Jeff’s shoes to see his life isn’t perfect either. Except, of course, it is.
More than just turn the trope on its head by giving Arj a reason to never go back to his old life, Ansari also spins the camera around to leave his lead character and follow the other two for a spell. Suddenly Jeff must endure Arj’s life under the assumption that it can’t be so bad when he’s never had to truly open his eyes to an economic gap that’s always worked in his favor. And with all the mess he’s caused improvising, Gabriel is suddenly turned human to realize just how much context matters. The world isn’t as simple as it was in black-and-white movies.
Good Fortune does a lot of nice things with its messaging, its three distinct paths diverging before ultimately converging once again: Arj being inspired by Elena’s dignity and perseverance to keep fighting despite it seeming like her efforts never bear fruit; Jeff recognizing that the tricks he adopts to maximize profits are only possible by destroying the lives of those he can’t perceive from his Ivory Tower; and Gabriel experiencing the joys of mortality like a little kid growing accustomed to new senses. It’s a very sweet script.
Because this is still Ansari that we’re talking about, you shouldn’t be surprised to find this sweetness met with irreverent hilarity. His and Rogen’s rapport is just as you’d imagine––both of their run-ins with clients via varied gig economy apps wield a take-no-prisoners attitude. Don’t forget Reeves. He delivers an unforgettable performance that exudes innocence in its purest form as well as the ease at which life can corrupt. (And, unless I imagined it, he also reenacts his greatest hits of memes for additional laughs throughout.)
It’s a well-made directorial debut that shows a love for cinematic history and unique sensibility to build upon it rather than simply homage. Add timely AI and union messaging, and the engaged audience couldn’t help clapping during certain scenes. That’s Good Fortune‘s appeal: communal entertainment with lighthearted surrealist fantasy and relatable everyman problems. “Eat the rich” politics are there, but the message is more about living for your community. Aspire to be George Bailey rather than yearn for Mr. Potter’s wallet.
Good Fortune premiered at TIFF 2025 and opens on October 17.
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