Good Fortune Spoiler-free Review

by Cineman

Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune is a mixed bag. It has some genuinely funny, laugh-out-loud moments, but the film’s uneven execution keeps it from ever finding a clear rhythm. The script feels muddled, as though unsure whether it wants to be sharp satire or heartfelt introspection, and the directing doesn’t always help steer it one way or the other.

Ansari takes on triple duty here: writing, directing, and starring, and it’s hard not to feel that he may have bitten off more than he could chew. His performance, while self-assured, exposes a limitation that’s been creeping up for a while: he’s essentially playing a projection of himself. That familiar anxious charm and ironic distance that once felt fresh in Master of None now feels a little one-note. Worse, it bleeds into his directing, as if the rest of the cast are orbiting the same tonal planet he’s on rather than finding their own.

That said, some actors manage to break free from that gravitational pull. Keke Palmer and Seth Rogen bring texture and spontaneity that the film sorely needs, while Keanu Reeves delivers a surprisingly funny performance: a fish out of water that plays almost like if his iconic character from The Matrix, Neo wandered into a dramedy. Those moments give Good Fortune flashes of heart and warmth, but they’re not enough to carry the entire film.

Good Fortune also tries to tackle big ideas around wealth inequality and privilege, but it never quite figures out what it wants to say. There’s an irony in watching a group of rich celebrities play characters wrestling with guilt and moral clarity about money, and the film doesn’t fully reckon with that. What could have been sharp social commentary ends up feeling like a well-intentioned but shallow gesture that’s delivered in a heavy handed way.

In the end, Good Fortune is best enjoyed for its scattered humour and a few strong performances rather than its message or craft. It’s not a total misfire, but it’s far from essential viewing. You can safely wait for it to hit streaming rather than rushing out to see it in theatres.

Rating: 5/10

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