Aziz Ansari’s feature directorial debut, Good Fortune, arrives with a promising premise, a stellar cast, and the weight of expectations for a comedian known for his sharp wit and observational humor. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 6, 2025, and set for a theatrical release on October 17, the film aims to blend body-swap comedy, guardian angel hijinks, and timely social commentary on class and the gig economy. While it delivers moments of charm and a standout performance from Keanu Reeves as a delightfully inept “budget guardian angel,” the film struggles to find its comedic footing, resulting in a pleasant but uneven dramedy that doesn’t quite live up to its ambitious goals. Here’s our review.

A High-Concept Comedy with Heart

Good Fortune centers on Arj (played by Ansari himself), a struggling gig worker in Los Angeles who’s barely scraping by. Living out of his beat-up car and juggling odd jobs like food delivery and TaskRabbit errands, Arj is a relatable everyman whose dreams of becoming a documentary filmmaker feel increasingly out of reach. His life takes a surreal turn when he encounters Gabriel (Keanu Reeves), a low-tier angel who’s tired of his mundane celestial duties, like preventing mortals from texting while driving. Gabriel, dubbed a “budget guardian angel” by a skeptical Arj, decides to intervene in a big way, orchestrating a Freaky Friday-style body swap between Arj and his wealthy employer, Jeff (Seth Rogen), a smug venture capitalist. The goal? To show Arj that money doesn’t solve everything. Spoiler alert: things go hilariously awry when Arj discovers that being rich is, in fact, pretty great.

The film’s supporting cast is stacked with talent. Keke Palmer plays Elena, Arj’s co-worker at a hardware store who’s fighting to unionize her workplace, adding a layer of grounded activism to the story. Sandra Oh shines as Martha, Gabriel’s no-nonsense angelic boss, while Stephen McKinley Henderson makes a brief but memorable appearance as Azrael, a wise senior angel. With such a powerhouse ensemble and Ansari’s track record from Parks and Recreation and Master of None, expectations were sky-high for a comedy that could balance belly laughs with biting social critique. Unfortunately, Good Fortune only partially delivers.

Keanu Reeves: The Angelic Heart of the Film

If there’s one reason to watch Good Fortune, it’s Keanu Reeves. As Gabriel, the bumbling angel with tiny wings and a scruffy trench coat, Reeves delivers a performance that’s equal parts hilarious and heartwarming. Channeling the deadpan charm of his Bill & Ted days, he infuses Gabriel with a childlike innocence and earnestness that makes every scene he’s in a delight. Whether he’s marveling at the novelty of chewing food as a newly humanized angel (“I’m a big boy!”) or delivering lines like “I was a celestial being and now I’m a chain smoker addicted to nicotine,” Reeves steals the show with his quirky, otherworldly charisma.

Ansari, who wrote the role specifically for Reeves, leans into the actor’s unique persona. “Keanu has this wiseness to him, this kind of feeling that he’s otherworldly,” Ansari said in an interview at TIFF 2025, citing Reeves’ roles in Constantine and John Wick as inspiration. The gamble pays off. Gabriel’s naivety and well-meaning clumsiness drive much of the film’s humor, particularly when his divine interventions backfire spectacularly. One standout scene sees Gabriel attempting to navigate human life after losing his wings, resulting in a series of slapstick mishaps that Reeves plays with pitch-perfect timing. His ability to blend earnestness with absurdity makes Gabriel the film’s comedic secret weapon, as noted by critics at The Hollywood Reporter and SlashFilm.

A Tale of Two Tones

While Reeves soars, Good Fortune struggles to reconcile its competing tones. On one hand, it wants to be a zany, R-rated body-swap comedy in the vein of Trading Places or Freaky Friday. On the other, it aims for the poignant, socially conscious drama of Ansari’s Master of None, tackling issues like economic inequality, the gig economy, and the housing crisis in Los Angeles. The result is a film that feels caught between two worlds, never fully committing to either.

The comedy, while occasionally sharp, doesn’t land as often as it should. Ansari’s script is packed with quippy one-liners and absurd scenarios—like Arj crushing a child’s dreams of becoming an archaeologist with a fatalistic rant about adulthood—but the humor often feels restrained, favoring small smiles over big laughs. Critics at The Guardian noted that Ansari’s brand of wry, observational humor, so effective in Master of None, feels like an awkward fit for the heightened, knockabout comedy Good Fortune aspires to be. The body-swap premise, while initially amusing, grows repetitive, with the film stretching its half-baked rules and convoluted plot twists to the point of exhaustion.

The dramatic elements, meanwhile, are heartfelt but heavy-handed. Ansari’s research into the gig economy—interviewing delivery drivers and working in hardware stores—grounds Arj’s struggles in real-world frustrations. Scenes of Arj navigating the indignities of low-wage work, like dodging parking tickets or using a “pee bottle” in his delivery van, resonate with a raw authenticity. Yet, the film’s attempt to weave these struggles into a broader commentary on class and privilege often feels preachy. A subplot involving Elena’s unionization efforts, while admirable, is underdeveloped, leaving Palmer’s character feeling more like a plot device than a fully realized person. As Indiewire pointed out, the film’s satire of unfettered capitalism “appears to punch up but actually punches down,” failing to fully engage with the systemic issues it raises.

A Visual Love Letter to Los Angeles

Visually, Good Fortune is a vibrant ode to Los Angeles, with cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra capturing the city’s sprawling contrasts—glitzy Bel Air mansions juxtaposed against homeless encampments and gritty parking lots. Ansari has described Los Angeles as a character in itself, reflecting the gig economy’s grind, gentrification, and stark wealth disparities. The film’s production design, from Jeff’s sleek mansion to Arj’s rundown car, underscores the class divide at its core. Yet, as Indiewire noted, the high-gloss sheen of the visuals sometimes undermines the story’s grit, smoothing out the rough edges of Arj’s reality.

The film’s pacing, however, is a stumbling block. Editing choices feel rushed and disjointed, with some scenes cutting abruptly in a way that disrupts the comedic rhythm. The Hollywood Reporter described the editing as “alienating,” and it’s hard to disagree when the film lurches from heartfelt moments to slapstick chaos without a cohesive flow. A tighter structure, like the classic comedies Ansari draws inspiration from (It’s a Wonderful Life, Sullivan’s Travels), could have elevated the film’s impact.

The Ensemble Shines, But Chemistry Is Underused

Ansari, Rogen, and Reeves share a likable chemistry that’s one of the film’s highlights. Ansari’s Arj is sympathetic, if a bit understated, while Rogen’s Jeff is a familiar tech-bro caricature that the actor plays with relish, even if the role lacks depth. The trio’s interactions—like a poolside scene where they bicker over their swapped lives—are genuinely fun, and it’s a shame the film doesn’t lean more into their dynamic. The Daily Beast lamented the missed opportunity for more “joint hijinks,” and fans of the cast’s comedic chops will likely agree.

Palmer and Oh bring warmth and gravitas to their roles, but both are underutilized. Palmer’s Elena has the potential to be a compelling foil to Arj, but her arc feels tacked on, with little room to breathe. Oh’s Martha delivers sharp-tongued authority, but her screen time is limited to a handful of scenes. Stephen McKinley Henderson’s brief appearance as Azrael is a standout, injecting a quiet wisdom that hints at the deeper spiritual exploration the film could have pursued.

A Personal Comeback for Ansari

Good Fortune marks a significant moment for Ansari, whose last few years have been tumultuous. After allegations of sexual misconduct in 2018 and the collapse of his first directorial effort, Being Mortal, due to issues with star Bill Murray, Ansari has been out of the spotlight. Good Fortune is his comeback, and it’s clear he’s poured his heart into it. The film carries personal touches, from casting his real-life father, Dr. Shoukath Ansari, as Arj’s dad, to drawing on his own experiences as a comedian navigating Los Angeles. Ansari’s desire to “write about things that everyone is dealing with that no one is talking about” shines through, even if the execution falters.

The film’s production wasn’t without challenges. Filming, originally set for May 2023, was delayed by the Writers Guild of America strike and a knee injury Reeves sustained two weeks into shooting. Despite these hurdles, Ansari rallied his cast and crew to complete the film, which wrapped principal photography by April 2024. The result is a project that feels deeply personal, even if it doesn’t fully cohere.

Does It Live Up to Its Inspirations?

Ansari cites It’s a Wonderful Life, Trading Places, and Sullivan’s Travels as influences, aiming to blend their heartfelt storytelling with modern social commentary. While the homage is clear, Good Fortune lacks the tight structure and emotional resonance of those classics. The body-swap trope feels derivative, and the guardian angel narrative, while elevated by Reeves’ performance, leans too heavily on familiar tropes. As The Wrap noted, the film is “a convoluted It’s a Wonderful Life-type story” that doesn’t quite escape the shadow of its predecessors.

The film’s R-rated humor also feels like a missed opportunity. Ansari has expressed a desire to revive the theatrical R-rated comedy, citing the success of Barbie as proof of audience appetite for bold, original films. Yet, Good Fortune pulls its punches, tempering its outrageousness with schmaltzy sentimentality. The result is a movie that’s more pleasant than uproarious, lacking the biting edge needed to fully satirize its targets.

The Verdict: A Mixed Bag with a Heavenly Highlight

At 98 minutes, Good Fortune is a breezy watch that coasts on the charm of its cast and the sincerity of its intentions. Keanu Reeves is undeniably the film’s MVP, delivering a performance that’s both fantastically funny and genuinely moving. His Gabriel is a character you’ll root for, laugh with, and wish had more screen time. Ansari, Rogen, and Palmer bring their A-game, but the script’s uneven tone and repetitive plotting hold them back from reaching their full potential.

For fans of Ansari’s work, Good Fortune offers enough of his signature wit and heart to make it worth a watch, especially in a theater setting where its vibrant visuals and communal laughs can shine. However, those expecting a laugh-out-loud comedy or a incisive social satire may leave disappointed. The film is a promising debut for Ansari as a director, but it’s not the triumphant return some might have hoped for. As SlashFilm aptly put it, “It’s a darker It’s a Wonderful Life and a more fantastical Master of None,” but it’s not quite a home run.

Good Fortune is a film with noble ambitions and a stellar cast, but its struggle to balance comedy and drama leaves it feeling like a missed opportunity. Still, Reeves’ angelic antics and Ansari’s heartfelt vision make it a charming, if flawed, addition to the comedy landscape. Catch it in theaters on October 17, 2025, and decide for yourself whether this budget guardian angel can save your cinematic soul.