Good Fortune Footage Reaction: Keanu Reeves Is Aziz Ansari's Literal Guardian Angel [CinemaCon 2024]
Aziz Ansari was a big name in comedy in the 2010s, not just from memorable roles in shows like "Parks and Recreation," but also his stellar turn as creator of the acclaimed Netflix comedy "Master of None." Ansari was set to make his directorial debut back in 2022 with "Being Mortal," but that film was shut down following sexual harassment allegations against Bill Murray, the star of the film. Not helping here were the sexual misconduct accusations against Ansari himself back in 2018.
Now, Ansari is ready to try again, making his feature directorial debut with "Good Fortune." The film is set to star Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, Keke Palmer, and Sandra Oh, which is a mighty impressive cast — anyone doubting Keanu's comedic timing needs to remember the "Bill & Ted" movies and also watch his stellar performance in "Always Be My Maybe."
/Film's own Ryan Scott was on-site at CinemaCon, the annual convention where studios present the movies they want audiences to be excited about. They presented footage from "Good Fortune," which sounds like a wild ride.
Every time a bell rings...
The footage starts with Keanu Reeves standing on a dome overlooking a city. He plays Gabriel, a "budget guardian angel" with a deadpan look on his face. His job? Protect Aziz Ansari, who plays a temporary laundry man down on his luck working for a rich dude played by Seth Rogen.
The footage focuses on Reeves' Gabriel trying to convince Ansari that the rich life is not all it's cracked up to be. How does he test his theory? By body-swapping them, of course! Ansari becomes rich while Rogen climbs all the way down the socioeconomic ladder. As our own Ryan Scott described it, it's "'Trading Places' by way of 'Scrooged.'"
Would it surprise you to know that Reeves is the standout performer in the footage? After proving himself to be adept at comedy, action, and romance, the actor is back to his comedic roots in "Good Fortune." The crux of the film is that Aziz Ansari's character is meant to realize that he had a wonderful life, and wish to return to his old body — much like George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life" — but he doesn't. Being rich isn't meant to solve all his problems, but it actually does solve all of his problems.
Failing to convince his human to appreciate life, Reeves' Gabriel loses his wings, making him human. Down on his luck, the actual angel Gabriel ends up becoming roommates with Rogen's character, Jeff, who is now in the body of Ansari's character.
This sounds utterly ridiculous and hilarious, the kind of wild idea Ansari is known for.
"I really wanted to make a comedy and I wanted it to be in theaters," Ansari said in the presentation. "I do not buy into this idea that theatrical comedies are not a thing."
"Good Fortune" does not have a release date yet.