Good Fortune (2025)

Director: Aziz Ansari
Screenplay: Aziz Ansari
Cast: Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari, Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh
Cinematography: Adam Newport-Berra
Editing: Daniel Haworth
Score: Carter Burwell
Genre: Supernatural comedy
Runtime: 97 minutes

In ‘Good Fortune‘, Keanu Reeves plays an angel. This role seems perfect for him; he’s cultivated an image as Hollywood’s nice guy – considerate, polite and wholly unproblematic in such a toxic environment. It’s a shame that he’s brought plummeting back to Earth by his appearance in this dud.

Reeves is Gabriel, an angel assigned to prevent people from texting and driving (and ultimately crashing). He’s a ‘budget guardian angel’, his wings noticeably shorter than his fellow angels. Feeling unfulfilled, he goes above and beyond his pay grade to help Arj (Aziz Ansari), a documentary maker who is down on his luck. Arj struggles to get by financially – he’s resorted to sleeping in his car and working any odd job he can. By complete contrast, we have Jeff (Seth Rogen), a tech bro who sits in the lap of luxury. Gabriel, using his limited powers, switches the lives of the men in a bid to show Arj that being so affluent isn’t all what it appears to be and that his life, however pitiful it may seem, is still worth living.

Naturally Arj, exposed to funds he could only dream of, refuses to swap back. Thus, Gabriel’s superiors strip him of his wings, rendering him human. He and Jeff must scrape together an income on the streets. The film is ‘It’s a Wonderful Life‘ minus the charm. Ansari, who also directs and wrote the screenplay, attempts to deliver a message about the financial disparities existing in America yet none of it elicits my sympathy.

I can’t cast anybody involved in a positive light. Rogen and the whiny-voiced Ansari are irritating, and (god bless him) Mr. Reeves can’t impart any angelic profundities without them sounding stilted. The movie isn’t so much as sent from above as sent from below.

Good fortune? Misfortune would be more apt.

My rating: 4 / 10

Ballerina (2025)

Director: Len Wiseman
Screenplay: Shay Hatten
Cast: Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, Keanu Reeves
Cinematography: Romain Lacourbas
Score: Tyler Bates, Joel J. Richard
Genre: Action thriller
Runtime: 125 minutes

Taking place in the John Wick universe, ‘Ballerina‘ slots in between ‘Parabellum‘ and ‘Chapter 4‘ and focuses on Eve (Ana de Armas), a ballet dancer and assassin, trained by the Ruska Roma crime syndicate. They featured sparingly in ‘Parabellum‘, headed up by a Russian-accented Anjelica Huston but they take centre stage here. Eve is on a revenge mission: to kill the man (Gabriel Byrne) responsible for her father’s death. Little Eve (perfect child casting) saw the tragedy unfold in front of her, thrusting her into a world of violence.

Strongly warned against doing this, Eve is resolute and won’t back down. She risks defying the orders of the Ruska Roma if she proceeds. Will this Eve bite the apple and be banished from Eden? The assassins are bound by a list of rules – dare she break these tenets and face the consequences?

It’s riveting fare, moving along at a quick pace. A different director from the main franchise – this time it’s Len Wiseman, who helmed the ‘Underworld‘ series – yet the excellent set pieces remain, whether fighting in a gaudy nightclub or a snowy Alpine village.

Keanu Reeves pops up in what I’d describe as an extended cameo. His presence isn’t required; let Ana de Armas stand on her own two feet. She makes for a more than capable action heroine, walloped around a good bit by men bigger than her, though learns to use certain tactics in order to vanquish foes. If Reeves had overstayed his welcome, it might as well be classed as another Wick flick. At least with Eve’s character, we get choreographed fight scenes and acting ability.

Eve has scope to return in a ‘Ballerina‘ sequel or further on in ‘John Wick 5‘ – yes, it’s been greenlit; the guy is indestructible.

My rating: 7 / 10