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Good Fortune poster
6.8
Garam Films Acclaimed

Good Fortune

Aziz Ansari's charming 2025 feature debut — Keanu Reeves steals the film as a bumbling angel in a gig economy class satire that underperformed at the box office but landed warmly on Starz, anchored by Carter Burwell's sc...

2025 97 min R
Critic6.8
Comedy Fantasy Drama
Starz Prime Video (Starz Channel) Apple TV (Starz Channel) Fandango at Home
Trailer Where to Watch

Overview

Gabriel (Keanu Reeves), a well-meaning but rather inept angel, meddles in the lives of Arj (Aziz Ansari) — a financially struggling gig worker — and Jeff (Seth Rogen) — a wealthy venture capitalist — by swapping their lives in an attempt to show Arj that money doesn't solve one's problems. The plan backfires spectacularly, Gabriel loses his wings, and the consequences begin to unravel for everyone involved.
Story 6.5
Acting 7.5
Direction 7.0
Cinematography 7.0
Music 7.5
Pacing 6.8
Originality 7.0
Emotional Impact 6.5
Overall 6.8

Editorial Review

By FindEdition Cinema Desk

6.8 /10

Keanu Reeves steals the film

Playing Gabriel with a gentle bewilderment that is entirely his own, Reeves demonstrates a comic timing few expected — his quietly baffled reactions to the chaos he creates are the film's most reliably funny element.

Class comedy with heart

Ansari's script has a genuine economic conscience that gives the gig-worker comedy real teeth — Felipe Garcia Martinez's small role as Felipe has been cited by many viewers as unexpectedly the film's most moving performance.

Pros

  • Keanu Reeves' unexpectedly brilliant deadpan comic performance
  • Carter Burwell's warm, distinctive score
  • Genuine social conscience and economic satire
  • Confident directorial debut from Ansari
  • Now comfortably streaming on Starz

Cons

  • Box office underperformance ($23.4M vs $30M budget)
  • Ansari's casting as a struggling young worker draws credibility issues for some viewers
  • Slightly uneven second half
Verdict A warm, genuinely funny and socially literate comedy that does more than its modest box office suggests — Keanu Reeves' deadpan celestial charm is the film's surprising MVP, and Ansari shows real directorial confidence for a feature debut.

AI Review

Aziz Ansari's charming 2025 feature debut — Keanu Reeves steals the film as a bumbling angel in a gig economy class satire that underperformed at the box office but landed warmly on Starz, anchored by Carter Burwell's score and an irresistible ensemble.

A warm, genuinely funny and socially literate comedy that does more than its modest box office suggests — Keanu Reeves' deadpan celestial charm is the film's surprising MVP, and Ansari shows real directorial confidence for a feature debut.

Stream on Starz — best watched with low expectations that the film quietly, warmly exceeds, particularly in Keanu Reeves' scenes.

Awards

Toronto International Film Festival

Gala Presentations — World Premiere · Official Selection

Critics Choice Awards

Best Comedy Movie · Nominated

Timeline

Release Date
Theatrical Date
Digital Date
Physical Date
Premiere
Festival
Status
Development

After Being Mortal was shut down in 2022, Ansari developed Good Fortune — a gig economy fantasy comedy — with producer Alan Yang. Seth Rogen's involvement was central to the project's genesis, with elements of his character Jeff drawn from real conversations between the two friends.

Principal photography

Filmed in Los Angeles from January 2024, with production running through Spring 2024. A minor on-set injury to Keanu Reeves caused a brief delay. Carter Burwell composed the score concurrently with post-production.

Release

World premiere at TIFF 2025 Gala Presentations on September 6, 2025, to broadly positive critical reception. US theatrical release via Lionsgate on October 17, 2025. Now streaming on Starz and available via Starz channel on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Toronto International Film Festival

Gala Presentations — World Premiere Official Selection

Critics Choice Awards

Best Comedy Movie Nominated

Production

Development

After Being Mortal was shut down in 2022, Ansari developed Good Fortune — a gig economy fantasy comedy — with producer Alan Yang. Seth Rogen's involvement was central to the project's genesis, with elements of his character Jeff drawn from real conversations between the two friends.

Principal photography

Filmed in Los Angeles from January 2024, with production running through Spring 2024. A minor on-set injury to Keanu Reeves caused a brief delay. Carter Burwell composed the score concurrently with post-production.

Release

World premiere at TIFF 2025 Gala Presentations on September 6, 2025, to broadly positive critical reception. US theatrical release via Lionsgate on October 17, 2025. Now streaming on Starz and available via Starz channel on Prime Video and Apple TV.

Streaming

Starz Prime Video (Starz Channel) Apple TV (Starz Channel) Fandango at Home Google Play Movies Philo

Cast

Keanu Reeves Gabriel (the angel)
Seth Rogen Jeff (venture capitalist)
Aziz Ansari Arj (gig worker)
Keke Palmer Elena
Sandra Oh Martha
Alexander Jo Arnold
Blanca Araceli Rosa
Felipe Garcia Martinez Felipe
Matt Rogers Supporting role
Sherry Cola Supporting role
Joe Mande Joe

Characters

Gabriel (the angel) Keanu Reeves
Jeff (venture capitalist) Seth Rogen
Arj (gig worker) Aziz Ansari
Elena Keke Palmer
Martha Sandra Oh
Arnold Alexander Jo
Rosa Blanca Araceli
Felipe Felipe Garcia Martinez
Supporting role Matt Rogers
Supporting role Sherry Cola
Joe Joe Mande

Crew

Aziz Ansari Director
Aziz Ansari Writer
Aziz Ansari Producer
Alan Yang Producer
Anthony Katagas Producer
Carter Burwell Composer
Adam Newport-Berra Cinematographer
Daniel Haworth Editor
Carmen Cuba Casting Director
Kay Lee Production Designer
April Napier Costume Designer

Videos

Official Trailer

Soundtrack

  1. Original Score — Carter Burwell
  2. Gabriel's Theme — Carter Burwell
  3. Gig Economy Blues — Carter Burwell

Trivia

  • Good Fortune is Aziz Ansari's feature directorial debut. His first attempt to direct a film — Being Mortal (2022, Searchlight Pictures), starring Bill Murray and Seth Rogen — was halted mid-production due to misconduct allegations against Murray.
  • Ansari cited the theatrical success of Barbie (2023) as direct inspiration — he wanted to prove that an original, star-driven adult comedy could still work in cinemas.
  • Composer Carter Burwell is an Oscar winner best known for his decades-long collaborations with the Coen Brothers (Fargo, No Country for Old Men, The Big Lebowski) and his score for Carol (2015).
  • Seth Rogen had been attached to Ansari's original project Being Mortal, and was cast again in Good Fortune, deepening their real-life friendship and creative partnership.
  • Alan Yang — Ansari's co-creator and co-writer on Netflix's Master of None — co-produced Good Fortune through Yang Pictures.
  • Keanu Reeves delivers a deliberately deadpan performance as Gabriel the angel — critics widely praised his comic timing as the film's secret weapon.
  • A scene in which a company's board votes to give workers higher wages and better benefits was called out in audience reviews as the film's most overtly satirical — and most openly comedic — moment.
  • Despite underperforming at the box office ($23.4M worldwide against a $30M budget), the film found a strong life on Starz streaming and via PVOD.

Quotes

"I've been doing this for centuries. I've never lost my wings before."

"Maybe money can solve some problems. I'm just saying."

Goofs

  • The gig delivery app seen on Arj's phone briefly shows an interface inconsistent between multiple shots during the opening sequence.

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Aziz Ansari's charming 2025 feature debut — Keanu Reeves steals the film as a bumbling angel in a gig economy class satire that underperformed at the box office but landed warmly on Starz, anchored by Carter Burwell's score and an irresistible ensemble. Similar picks: Shared Cast

Good Fortune