Heartland International Film Festival Review Of ‘Good Fortune’

Tweet
Review by James Lindorf

Eight years ago, Aziz Ansari was one of the top comedians in the world. After “Parks and Recreation” ended in 2015, he moved on to the very popular Netflix series “Master of None,” which he co-created with Alan Yang. He served as that show’s lead actor and directed 11 episodes. Then, after a bit of controversy, his career took a hit. He stopped his comedy tours for a while, and it took four years for “Master of None” to get a third season without Ansari as the main character. Now, after building things back up slowly with voice, work, cameos, and stand-up specials, he is ready to reclaim the spotlight with his feature film directorial debut. The svelte 98-minute R-rated comedy “Good Fortune” will open everywhere on October 17th.

I was able to see this movie as part of the terrific lineup at the 34th annual Heartland International Film Festival. The 11-day Indianapolis festival, taking place Oct. 9-19, showcases actors like Brendan Fraser, Sydney Sweeney, Rami Malek, Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, and Peyton Manning through 19 world/US premieres, 27 regional premieres, 17 special presentations from major distributors, and nine Indiana Spotlight films. All film selections will have in-person screenings, and many will also be available virtually (US restricted). Tickets and Fest Passes are available at HeartlandFilmFestival.org.

Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) is a low-ranking angel whose primary responsibility is to help us out when we are texting and driving. He longs for a job with more meaning, like saving a lost soul, and against the wishes of the head angel, Martha (Sandra Oh), he will take that opportunity when it is presented. Arj (Aziz Ansari) is a film editor searching for his next project. In the meantime, he lives the gig life, working in food delivery and helping strangers with tasks between shifts at Hardware Heaven. He thought things were looking up when he got a job as an assistant for Jeff (Seth Rogen), a wealthy tech bro, but he reached a new low point after getting fired and losing his car and home. Intervening in his plight, Gabriel tries to convince Arj that his life is worth living and that being wealthy like Jeff would not solve his problems, even if it means swapping the two men’s lives. His plan quickly unravels, costing Arj his relationship with Elena (Keke Palmer), Jeff his comfortable life, and Gabriel his wings. If they can work together, they might learn what’s really important and set things right.

What is “Good Fortune” is the answer to the “Jeopardy” question, what you get if you combine 2001’s “Down to Earth” and 1983’s “Trading Places.” All three films feature comedians in the lead role playing characters who are battling the current socio-economic climate. One film features a screw up of an angel, and the other a rich jerk who will experience being poor. While “Trading Places” remains the best of the three films, “Good Fortune” does improve on it in some ways. Gone are the cartoonish villains and the quest to punish them for their meddling; instead, there is a message about how to improve the lives of millions of people.

Fun and charisma are pouring out of every scene, with Ansari, Reeves, and Rogen all having a good time playing balanced characters who blend good, bad, and indifferent actions. However, their acting talent is also on full display, and it isn’t nearly as successful. Rogen is the best of the three, but that could just be because he has less screen time than Ansari, who is a close second. In a distant third is Reeves, who oscillates between fine and possibly a career low. Gabriel, as an angel, is like a frustrated Ted “Theodore” Logan, with all of the slow wit and none of the cheerful optimism. Thankfully, once he loses his wings and discovers what it means to be a human, his performance becomes much more complex and drastically improves.

“Good Fortune” doesn’t overstay its welcome while serving up genuine laugh-out-loud moments in an easily relatable story. At the same time, the story’s lack of originality, combined with clunky acting, weighs heavily on the final product. “Good Fortune” is a perfect movie to watch over drinks with friends or alone while folding laundry with a score of 3.25 out of 5.

Rating: R (Language|Some Drug Use)
Genre: Comedy, Action, Drama
Runtime: 1h 38m
Release Date (Theaters): October 17th, 2025
Director: Aziz Ansari
Screenwriter: Aziz Ansari
Producer: Aziz Ansari, Anthony Katagas, Alan Yang, Brady Fujikawa, Jon Humphrey, David Koplan
Production Co: Keep Your Head
Distributor: Lionsgate