Generally I was impressed with Good Fortune’s recognition of the systemic nature of poverty and the way capitalism is designed to benefit some at the expense of most others. The film expressly recognizes this a number of times in both subtle and obvious ways. It is a funny movie filled with funny people and it makes it point. But as I continued to watch it I wondered how it was going to resolve its problem. It needed to either go very dark with its ending or compromise on its message and it chooses the latter. I didn’t feel this ruined the movie but it was a bit of a disappointment after the film does such a good job of highlighting something that most of us understand but don’t want to admit.
Still Good Fortune is quite funny. Both Reeves and Ansari have an awkwardness to their screen presence which can be off putting at times. Fortunately Rogan and Palmer are both more natural and much of the catharsis and pathos of the movie falls on them. Good Fortune sometimes feels a bit clunky but for its faults it still remains entertaining which is remarkable with how dark its subject truly is.
Still I wish they had been a bit braver with their ending and didn’t try to find the resolution that “solves” anything.
Good Fortune
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogan, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh, Aziz Ansari, Stephen McKinley Henderson
Writer/Director: Aziz Ansari
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