Good Fortune - OK Movie

Keanu. A guardian angel.

Aziz. A down on his luck guy living out of his car.

Seth. Billionaire investor.

Combined, it has the capacity to be a good movie. Sadly, this one was just okay.

Keanu plays Gabriel, an angel that helps prevent accidents because people are texting and driving, but he wants to do more. Another angel colleague out there is helping save souls. That's what he wants to do.

Arj (Aziz Ansari) is an aspiring documentarian, but like many in the media/entertainment industry, he's not having much luck. He's taking app jobs like food delivery. He meets and falls for Elena (Kiki Palmer) while working briefly at a hardware box store. She's wanting to start a union there because she cares about her job and her coworkers.

One day, while helping Aziz's Arj, Gabriel notices the text that says he's pretty much ready to give up on life. Gabriel forms an unhealthy attachment following Arj around trying to figure out a way to help him.

Arj, after delivering to Jeff (Seth Rogan), manages to start working for the billionaire as an assistant. But after taking Elena to an expensive dinner and using the company card, Jeff fires Arj and the same night, his car (that he's living in) is towed.

Gabriel decides to step in and show Arj a vision of his future to show him his life will be okay...yeah, kinda bleak. A job where he has to have a pee bottle while delivering packages, living with family, a dog dying that he can't afford to help.

Our angel swaps their lives for a week (where they always lived the lives they have) to help show Arj that life isn't so greener on the other side. Because there's nothing like a broke person suddenly having billions of dollars to help you realize your life isn't so bad. Money doesn't solve all your problems...but it sure does help.

He starts a relationship again with Elena in this new life, but it ends quickly after he implies her union work is unimportant.

The movie had potential. There were a lot of funny parts and Aziz was charming as Arj. You felt for him and his situation. A situation that, sadly, a lot of people are in right now. Barely scraping by and there are no angels intervening with comedic hijinks to show you the way.

I saw a movie when I was a kid, Mr. Destiny, with a similar premise. A guy who hates his life wishes things had been different. Mystery guy steps in and fulfills the wish. He's rich, married to a gorgeous woman (not his OG wife) and an executive at his company. It was done a little better because he realized things weren't as good. He wanted his life back.

Arj welcomes the money, even fakes amnesia after a brief coma to get out of switching back. It's selfish, but you understand why. Money has solved all his problems and he can go anywhere and do anything he wants with Jeff's money. Jeff does learn how hard it is to be poor, struggling along side Gabriel who lost his wings and powers for creating this mess to begin with.

The climax felt a bit clunky and rushed because of the complexity of the situation. He had to truly want to get back to his life, but he had no hope. A talk with Gabriel, recounting his time as a human, gives him just enough to agree.

What worked in its favor was the moral lesson that's imparted...that Gabriel didn't have to get involved to give Arj hope. Other people can inspire hope in others (Elena for Arj).

Aziz wrote and directed this and directing wise it was good. The jokes landed and the story was intriguing for a very complex issue. This wasn't a 'eat the rich' movie. It was about finding hope in our lives. Sometimes it's hard. Really hard. Where getting by is a daily struggle. We lose hope, but try to find hope in the people in our lives and the things we love.

The cast did well with their roles. Keanu was one of my favorites. He was very old school Keanu in his monotone delivery and while it felt bland, it was the point. Gabriel was an angel and didn't know how to act with people or just be. Kiki Palmer was delightful and funny and such a strong woman. She wanted to start a union and even when the vote failed, she still never wanted to give up on it. Her hope and light is exactly what Arj needs to find his way.

Surprisingly Seth Rogan didn't go full Rogan. He went half-Rogan, which worked a little better.

While far from perfect, the movie is enjoyable and worth a watch. It was good, but it wasn't great. If Arj had found himself struggling a little more with the new life, not knowing what he's doing workwise and costing himself money, small things like that to make him at least partially consider going back, it would have worked a little better.

A lot of the elements worked in favor of the movie, but small changes in direction could have pushed the lesson a little harder.

3/5...but would still recommend.