When it comes to guardian angels, Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) isn’t exactly playing in the big leagues. He does have the fitting white wings on his back, along with a trench coat, but his assignment is limited to preventing car accidents caused by cell phone use while driving in Los Angeles. Then he meets Arj (Aziz Ansari) – and makes the young man his new mission.

Arj is quite disillusioned by life. Along with his badly paid job at a hardware store, he also uses an app to hire him for all kinds of jobs, including from the well-heeled tech entrepreneur Jeff (Seth Rogen). It’s not enough to live on, his damaged self-confidence gets in the way of his flirting with his dedicated colleague Elena (Keke Palmer), and then his car gets towed away. To show him that wealth alone doesn't bring happiness, Gabriel decides to let Arj and Jeff swap lives. But the plan backfires: Not only does Arj thrive in his new life with a villa and a full bank account, but Gabriel also loses his wings and suddenly has to eke out an existence as a human.

In his first feature film as a director and screenwriter, Aziz Ansari, who is primarily known for his show “Master of None,” opts for an unusual mixture. GOOD FORTUNE is both a high concept comedy in the best body swap tradition, including a heavenly touch, and a critique of capitalism with a focus on the merciless gig economy. This is occasionally very amusing (with humor ranging from silly to casual), but a little simple in its message. The heart is always in the right place – and Reeves as the naive angel very charmingly discovers the joys of human existence like tacos and dancing.

Patrick Heidmann

Translation: Elinor Lewy