Actor-writer-director Aziz Ansari co-stars with Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, Sandra Oh, and Keke Palmer in this hilarious modern fantasy in which the angel Gabriel, dissatisfied with performing minor acts of divine intervention, attempts to improve the lives of several struggling mortals.
Featuring a heaven-sent ensemble that includes Seth Rogen, Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer, and Sanda Oh, this irreverent fantasy-satire from Aziz Ansari, who also co-stars, posits a massive what-if? in the City of Angels — which in this case is populated by actual angels.
After a bleak spell spent living out of his car and using an app to seek menial gigs, things seem to be finally turning around for Arj (Ansari). A chance encounter with affluent tech bro Jeff (Rogen) leads Arj to a lucrative new job — and a big dinner date with his beguiling new colleague Elena (Palmer). When the exorbitant bill arrives, near-broke Arj uses his boss’ credit card to pay, which gets him quickly fired.
But a junior angel named Gabriel (Reeves) steps in. Pained by the unfairness of Arj’s situation, he forces Arj and Jeff to swap lives, believing that each can learn something from walking a mile in the other’s shoes. A disgruntled pauper trades places with a spoiled millionaire: what could go wrong?
Capitalizing on the strengths of its stellar cast — most especially on Rogen and Ansari’s mercilessly funny mutual mimicry — Good Fortune is a wickedly wry commentary on our age of growing social inequities.
Content advisory: strobing effects
Screenings
Roy Thomson Hall
Scotiabank 13
Scotiabank 2