Hollywood films are littered with angels and their visitations from City of Angels to John Travolta’s Michael to arguably the most famous iteration in It’s a Wonderful Life. Here writer director Aziz Ansari not only brings the absurdly comedic supernatural moments that this angelic genre delivers, but also a whole lot more. Filled with light, comedic, and heartfelt moments, Good Fortune is more than just some supernatural comedy - it’s got a heck of a lot to say. One of the best cinematic surprises of 2025.

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In Good Fortune, a well-meaning but rather inept angel named Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker (Aziz Ansari) and a wealthy venture capitalist (Seth Rogen).

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Good Fortune makes the audience take a big leap straight off the bat - this is a movie about angels set in a very real world (more on that shortly). What makes it work is that from the outset, director Ansari grounds the angels in specific tasks - creating his own lore of what and how angels operate in this particular cinematic world. From this point we know how the angels can or cannot interact with the real world which allows the more supernatural elements to ring even more true. 

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This is an extremely funny film in the same gentle way that Parks and Rec (the TV show that made Ansari famous) and his other brilliant work Master of None was. There is a subtly and playfulness with the comedic moments here, all serving the expanding and developing of it's characters. 

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But this is so much more than just some supernatural comedy. Ansari has a lot to say on a raft of subjects from the gig economy, capitalism, the elites, and what truly makes you a happy human being. All of these land and will leave you musing on them for days, especially the pursuit of happiness question. 

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Ansari has managed to pull together a fantastic cast with Keanu Reeves angel Gabriel is Ted, from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, adjacent, creating many comedic moments with his wide eyed innocence. Asari is extremely lovable in the role of Arj and his chemistry with Palmer’s Elena is subtle and believable. Seth Rogen plays a lot of himself here but with an awareness rarely seen in other characters he plays. 

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Filled with light, comedic, and heartfelt moments, Good Fortune is more than just some supernatural comedy - it’s got a heck of a lot to say. One of the best cinematic surprises of 2025.