Actors becoming directors has become a more common trend in recent years. With Scarlett Johansson’s debut film, Eleanor the Great, releasing only a couple weeks ago, and Bradley Cooper set to release his third feature, Is This Thing On?, in December, actors have been inspired by their on-set experience to direct their own movies. Aziz Ansari is the latest actor-turned-director with his film Good Fortune, an absurd comedy that nails the current state of America.

Good Fortune follows Arj, played by Ansari, a gig worker struggling to make ends meet. After a chain of events leaves him houseless and carless, he befriends Gabriel, played by Keanu Reeves, a guardian angel who grants him the ability to switch lives with Jeff (Seth Rogen), a wealthy venture capitalist. Through their drastically different lifestyles, the three of them learn the value of life and what’s worth living.

Since Ansari – who also writes the screenplay – comes from a comedic background, it’s no surprise that Good Fortune is a funny movie. The film is in no way subtle in its depiction of the horrid financial state of many Americans, which makes for numerous hilarious moments. Whether it’s Jeff struggling to compete with a food-delivery robot or Raj paying a towing fee after his car is forcibly towed, Good Fortune brings a satisfyingly light-hearted tone to dire situations.

Ansari, Rogen, and Reeves are all excellent in the lead roles, with an incredible back-and-forth among them that contributes to the film’s comedy. Seeing Ansari and Rogen at odds with each other after Ansari steals his life gives the film a strong conflict that’s easy to engage with. Jeff could’ve easily been portrayed as another snarky rich person, but his charming personality adds a layer that makes him a more engaging character. Ansari surprisingly plays the more unlikable character, as his selfishness strips Jeff of his lavish lifestyle. It would typically be challenging to identify with a character who ruins someone’s life, as Raj did to Jeff. Still, Ansari’s performance, along with the writing behind the character, makes him more empathetic.

But the standout acting performance in Good Fortune belongs to Keanu Reeves. Reeves’ portrayal of a simple-minded angel who is unaware of what life is truly like. His fish-out-of-water performance is unlike anything Reeves has done since emerging from a goo pod in The Matrix, and his reactions to discovering the hardships of life bring the funniest sequences in the entire movie. Seeing the transition from his joy of receiving his first paycheck to his dismay of finding out how much he actually made is a standout tragicomic moment in the entire movie, and it’s primarily due to Reeves’ commitment to the bit.

There is no ounce of subtlety in Good Fortune, which works in good and bad ways. While the on-the-nose comedy about America’s economy makes for the perfect wake-up call for those in power, the abrasive nature can sometimes come across as off-putting. The first act, in particular, is the biggest culprit of this, as the film doesn’t know how to convey satire, mostly just throwing around different plots and themes without any cohesion. As the film progresses, it feels like Ansari’s voice comes through more steadily to become precisely the kind of film it wants to be, but the beginning did have a couple of rough patches.

Good Fortune may not be the most polished or thought-provoking satire in recent memory, but its commitment to its absurdities and the ensemble’s compelling performances made this a relentlessly entertaining watch from start to finish. With one film, Ansari demonstrates a strong filmmaking voice and great potential for a future in directing. The real Good Fortune is how solid the film turned out to be.

Good Fortune was screened as a Special Presentation at the Heartland International Film Festival. Lionsgate will release the film nationwide on October 17.

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