Good Fortune: A Switcheroo With More Bite Than Expected
Before diving into the full review, let me set the context. Good Fortune looks like another simple life-switch comedy on the surface. You expect the rich guy to be out of touch, the poor guy to be overworked, and an angel or twist to bring them together for a predictable lesson. The film starts with that familiar template but refuses to stay inside that box. It opens the door to heavier conversations about class, guilt, struggle and what “being better off” actually means. The humour stays sharp, the emotions stay grounded and the film never tries to preach. That is where Good Fortune separates itself.
Jeff and Arj: Two Lives on Opposite Ends
Jeff, played by Seth Rogen, enters the story as a stereotypical wealthy tech bro who believes he built his life without help. The film slowly reveals that he is not cruel or heartless. He is simply disconnected from the harshness of everyday life. His privilege shields him from struggle, yet the writing never portrays him as a villain. He is a flawed man with blind spots and an ego, not a monster.
Arj, played by Aziz Ansari, is the exact opposite. He is stuck between jobs, juggling delivery gigs, supermarket work and anything else that pays. His life is a cycle of exhaustion where even after working multiple jobs he can barely afford to stay afloat. Sleeping in his car becomes normal. His frustration is not exaggerated. It feels lived in and painfully real.
Their first meeting leads to a brief opportunity for Arj when Jeff hires him temporarily. One innocent attempt to impress his date, Elena (played by Keke Palmer) with a payment from the company card gets Arj fired. His situation collapses further and the despair that follows is entirely believable.
The Angel Who Means Well but Causes Chaos
Keanu Reeves plays Gabriel, an angel who prevents texting-while-driving accidents. He wants more meaningful responsibilities and admires the work of Azrael who guides lost souls. Gabriel sees Arj’s life, feels moved and decides to intervene. His solution is to switch the lives of Arj and Jeff, imagining the experience will teach Arj that money is not a magical cure.
The story very quickly proves him wrong. Being wealthy solves most of Arj’s immediate problems, and Gabriel has no convincing counterargument. The switch is reversed only because a deal is struck. Arj gets to enjoy a few days of comfort before everything is restored.
Gabriel’s interference gets him fired from angel duties by his boss, Martha (played by Sandra Oh). He becomes human and finds himself living a life as difficult as Arj’s original one. Watching Keanu Reeves wash dishes, try burgers and navigate life with a sincere, childlike confusion is both surreal and endearing. Gabriel views the world with an ancient innocence, almost like Takopi from Takopi’s Original Sin, though without the darkness of that show (Read our review of the anime here). His only intention is to bring happiness to both Jeff and Arj.
Life Does Not Simplify Itself for Jeff
The film refuses to give Jeff an easy breakthrough. Instead of sudden enlightenment, he faces the reality of poverty like any other person. It is tough and humiliating. The film avoids turning his journey into a comedic meltdown. Jeff actually tries to work and earn money instead of relying on shortcuts. His anger feels justified and grounded. He even tries to support Gabriel at first but quickly realises he cannot pay for both of them through gig work.
These moments give his character nuance. He wants his old life back but the film avoids painting him as a spoiled child. His struggle shows that hardship is not poetic. It is exhausting and often unfair.
Arj’s Guilt and the Film’s Honest View of Class Struggles
Arj does not magically become enlightened either. He feels guilty but he never pretends that going back to poverty is a noble choice. The film respects the logic of someone who has suffered too long. It understands that people want stability, not luxury. Arj’s perspective about wanting enough money to stop struggling feels reasonable and relatable.
Good Fortune uses humour as a tool, mostly through dry and dark jokes that never undercut the sincerity of the story. The satire around tech culture works because the characters remain grounded. Aziz Ansari brings sincerity and charm to Arj, while Seth Rogen gives Jeff surprising layers. Keanu Reeves stands out as the emotional core, delivering warmth and innocence without ever feeling out of place.
Where the Film Stumbles
The ending loses a bit of momentum. Arj’s final decision feels slightly repetitive, as if the story circles around the same point twice. The film also resists tying everything up neatly. It mirrors real life where clarity rarely arrives with a single lesson. The lack of a definitive solution might frustrate some viewers but it also grounds the story in reality rather than fantasy.
A Closing Perspective on Luck and Struggle
Good Fortune ends on a hopeful note. Arj does not become rich overnight but Jeff gains a small but meaningful understanding of the world outside his penthouse. The film recognises that people want comfort, not miracles. It respects the truth that life is uneven and complicated, and sometimes all you can do is try to be a little better than you were yesterday. It only tries to show the truth with humour, empathy and a touch of mysticism.
Rating:
I give it a 3.5 out of 5. The film feels genuine and grounded, even though some moments stop just short of delivering the emotional clarity they seem to build toward.
Much like life, it offers reflection rather than answers. Good Fortune stands out because it respects the struggles of ordinary people without turning them into inspirational tropes. It highlights the strange balance between luck, effort, hardship and privilege. It shows that being good does not always lead to reward and that sometimes life just keeps pushing you down. At the same time it reminds you that empathy can still make a difference, even in small ways.
I do not expect a film to hand out answers to the bigger questions about struggle, inflation or the meaning of everyday life. Scholars and philosophers have failed to agree on those. What a film can do is reflect the reality we live in, even when it uses angels and mysticism to tell the story.
If you watched Good Fortune, share your thoughts on whether the film’s message landed for you. Did you connect more with Arj’s exhaustion or Jeff’s confusion about the real world. Tell us if you felt the ending worked or if it needed more closure.
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