POPZ-CULTURE Movie Reviews – Good fortune (2025)
By: Marton Szakadath
Genre: Comedy
Rated: 16
Written and directed by: Aziz Ansari
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Blanca Araceli, Aziz Ansari, Seth Rogen
A quality comedy is as rare as hen’s teeth. With the prevalence of drama, thriller, and crime genre productions, we were really looking forward to a lighter, mood-boosting form of entertainment. Among the October movie premieres, we noticed the latest film from acclaimed comedian Aziz Ansari, for which features Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogen, among others. While Good fortune may not fall into the category of a riotously funny comedy, it contains more than enough value for us to confidently recommend it.
The basis of the story is the ‘life swap’ between Jeff (Seth Rogen), a wealthy, well-off tech entrepreneur, and Arj (Aziz Ansari), a poor man struggling with financial difficulties. The angel Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) wants to prove to the two men, who have completely different existences, that material possessions alone do not guarantee happiness, which is why he places them into each other’s lives. The story holds further twists, which livens up this well-known formula.
The greatest strength of Good fortune comes from its social sensitivity and its message. It encourages us to see past appearances and focus on the values that are truly important in life. It does all this without disputing the importance of financial circumstances. It draws attention to the fragility of happiness and the need for empathy towards those less fortunate than ourselves.
It’s a shame that the film’s extremely powerful message isn’t accompanied by any particularly funny scenes. Of course, there are still plenty of moments that will make you smile, especially when it comes to the fate of guardian angel Gabriel. If you really want to go to the movies and are looking for something other than the usual horror-dumping, Good fortune is worth the price of the ticket and your time.
How many comedies do you watch in a year? Are genuinely good ones so rare? We look forward to your opinions in the comments. November will once again be focused on streaming premieres. Watch lots of movies and series, and make your voices heard on our social media channels. And if you’re craving a delicious snack for your home movie night, POPZ popcorn is the best choice.
