PLOT: A struggling gig financial system employee (Aziz Ansari) shedding hope finds his actuality switched with that of a tech bro (Seth Rogen) by a misguided angel (Keanu Reeves), who thinks he’ll miss his outdated life—when that seems to be the furthest factor from the reality.
REVIEW: Mainstream studio comedies are an more and more uncommon proposition, so it’s at all times a deal with when one comes alongside. This fall, Lionsgate is taking a swing at returning the style to multiplexes, and positive sufficient, Good Fortune, which premiered at TIFF, has the makings of a crowd-pleaser. It’s the characteristic directorial debut of Aziz Ansari, who additionally stars as Arj, a gig financial system employee who winds up working for a soulless tech bro, performed by Seth Rogen, who appears fully oblivious to the state of the world exterior his palatial manor. In traditional comedy style, they swap locations as Arj will get to stay life as a wealthy individual, whereas Rogen’s Jeff has to attempt to make ends meet regardless of having no marketable abilities.
Whereas Ansari and Rogen alone would make this a comedy price seeing, the film’s secret weapon is the third lead, the angel Gabriel, performed by none apart from Keanu Reeves. Completely solid, Reeves is hysterical because the spacey, none-too-bright angel whose tasks are restricted to retaining folks from moving into accidents whereas texting and driving. When he messes up, he finds himself demoted to being human, and lots of the film’s humour revolves round him adjusting to life as a mere mortal.
In truth, Reeves simply walks away with the film, with Ansari and Rogen, whereas humorous, enjoying maybe a bit too near sort—particularly the latter. We’ve seen Rogen play roles like this earlier than, significantly in Dumb Cash, though the movie has enjoyable demoting him to being a working stiff. Likewise, Ansari, when Arj will get wealthy, goes into Tom Haverford mode. Of everybody, Reeves is the one one delivering a efficiency that feels completely recent and new.
Even when a few of it feels acquainted, Good Fortune remains to be enjoyable, with Ansari, who additionally wrote the movie, choosing an optimistic, upbeat tone, even when the story takes a number of too many handy twists in the direction of the top. There are some nice stomach laughs, largely revolving round Reeves, who has the requisite innocence to play the kindly Gabriel, who doesn’t fairly have the aptitude for the job a few of his angel colleagues do, like his boss Martha, performed by Sandra Oh.
Ansari additionally writes a pleasant function for Keke Palmer, as a colleague of Arj’s at a giant field retailer who works onerous at making the world round her a greater place. She’s charming within the function, and actually the one compelling cause Arj would possibly need to return to his earlier life.
In the long run, Good Fortune’s largest laughs primarily land due to the very good casting of Reeves, though Ansari and Rogen are rather less profitable of their roles as a consequence of feeling too acquainted. But, the film is so big-hearted that it’s onerous to carry an excessive amount of towards it. Whereas I’ve seen higher comedies this 12 months (The Bare Gun is one), I nonetheless had a number of good chuckles whereas watching this and walked out with a smile on my face. It’s not one of many actually memorable movies I’ve seen at TIFF this 12 months, however it’s nice sufficient.
