The genre of angel movies is not very prolific, but it includes some memorable creations. The same can be said about the genre of identity swapping films. Actor, stand-up comedian and television creator Aziz Ansari chose to combine the two genres for ‘Good Fortune‘ – his feature film debut for the big screens, for which he wrote the script directed and played one of the main roles. He added a serious dose of sentiment and warmth, managed to gather an interesting cast around him and the result is more than satisfactory despite some drops in pace and some repetitions, perhaps inevitable considering that it is still a debut film.
Gabriel is an angel of the 2nd rank in the angelic hierarchy, that is, one with minor tasks. He looks a bit like Lieutenant Columbo, sloppy and dressed in a shabby trench coat, and his job is to save from accidents drivers who text while driving. He also dreams of more important missions, and when the path to promotion seems closed, he decides to go beyond his duties and intervene to save the life of one of the human beings he had helped. This is Arj, an aspiring screenwriter who, while waiting for his film career to happen, barely survives, constantly looking for temporary jobs (deliveries, housework, cashier, etc.) in the gig industry. One of these jobs introduces him to the ultra-rich Jeff, who lives a luxurious life from investments and stock market speculations, and is also the owner of a huge and magnificent villa. Gabriel, wanting to prove to Arj – who is haunted by the thought of suicide – that life is worth living, proposes a temporary identity swap with Jeff. The goal would be for Arj to understand that the rich have their problems too and that a more modest life also has its meaning through the achievements that one reaches by himself and through the opportunity to meet real people and even to fall in love. The problem is that if money doesn’t solve all of Arj’s problems, it solves most of them, and he refuses to return to his previous life. On the other hand, Seth, thrown into Arj’s difficult life, is frustrated and wants his identity back. For all this mess, Gabriel too is at risk to be fired, which means that from the world of angels he is falling into becoming a simple and mortal man, one who can enjoy a burger and a cigarette.
The idea is nice, but not enough to support the entire film. Almost everything I’ve described happens in the first 15 minutes, and the rest are variations on the same theme, some cute and funny, others predictable, especially when the moralizing ideas are transformed into verbosity and not into jokes. The criticism of social differences and the temporary job industry is obvious. The film’s chance lies in the quality of the actors’ acting. Keanu Reeves, who has the reputation of being a kind of socially involved angel himself outside of his acting career, fits perfectly into the role of Gabriel and the scenes of the discovery and addictive adoption of the small pleasures of human life are delicious. Aziz Ansari is himself a talented actor, who builds or plays his own character with empathy and warmth. The trio is completed by Seth Rogen. I’m not a fan of this actor and I didn’t become one after seeing this film, but the role of Jeff suits him. ‘Good Fortune‘ is a comedy of the kind that used to be made in Hollywood, with a controlled naivety and full of good intentions, a little diluted and yet enjoyable. Kind of like a slightly too-big slice of bread spread with too little jam and butter, and still tasty enough.