The Good Fortune movie just dropped its first trailer and honestly, Aziz Ansari might have created the most relatable comedy of 2025. After his directorial debut Being Mortal got shelved due to Bill Murray’s drama, Ansari pivoted hard into this supernatural body-swap comedy that’s basically every broke person’s fantasy come to life.
What Actually Happened
Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) plays a “budget guardian angel” who makes the worst career mistake ever when he tries teaching struggling gig worker Arj (Ansari) that money doesn’t solve problems. His brilliant plan? Swap Arj’s life with his wealthy boss Jeff (Seth Rogen). But instead of learning a lesson, Arj thrives in his new rich life while Gabriel loses his wings and gets stuck on Earth as Jeff’s roommate.
The Good Fortune movie started filming in January 2024 after the Writers Guild strike delayed the original May 2023 production schedule. Keanu fractured his kneecap two weeks into shooting after slipping out of a cold plunge, but kept filming most scenes despite the injury. “At one point, I said to Dwayne, ‘I don’t want to cut away. It’s crucial that we witness him getting hit,'” director Benny Safdie explained about their commitment to authenticity.
The Real Story Behind It
Ansari wrote the script after researching LA’s gig economy by actually working alongside food delivery drivers and hardware store employees. “I wanted to write about things that everyone is dealing with that no one is talking about,” he revealed. The film took inspiration from classic movies like It’s a Wonderful Life and A Matter of Life and Death, but with a modern twist about economic anxiety.
Seth Rogen joined the project literally two hours after Ansari called him with the script. “Rogen inspired the implementation of several ideas in the script, such as a sauna and a cold plunge,” according to production notes. Their 20-year friendship translates into authentic on-screen chemistry that elevates what could have been a simple premise.
Why This Matters Now
The Good Fortune movie arrives October 17 at the perfect time when everyone’s struggling with inflation and side hustles. Ansari deliberately made Los Angeles a character itself, showing food delivery robots, gentrification, and homelessness alongside the comedy. It’s basically a mirror of 2025’s economic reality wrapped in supernatural shenanigans.
Keke Palmer plays Elena, a hardware store worker fighting to unionize, while Sandra Oh appears as Martha, the angel who takes Gabriel’s wings. The supporting cast includes Sherry Cola as someone who wants to sit on Gabriel’s face (because apparently even angels are attractive now).
Here’s The Thing
Lionsgate secured the film after a bidding war, immediately ordering Ansari to make the R-rated theatrical comedy he envisioned. “I hoped that having an R-rated comedy in theaters would prove both the genre and format viable,” he said, citing Barbie’s success as proof audiences want theatrical comedies.
The film premiered at Toronto International Film Festival September 6 to positive reviews, with critics praising the cast chemistry and Ansari’s directorial vision. Early footage shows Rogen’s character owns multiple cars, a mansion with a pool, and a basement disco – basically everything Arj could never afford.