I’d heard on a podcast that it was good for couples to do “novel activities” together.
On another podcast came the comment that Landmark Theatres were far superior to the more dominant Cineplex ones. We have a Landmark Theatre close by.
In the newspaper, I’d read how Aziz Ansari had fought to have his new movie get a theatrical release. And that he’d cast a bunch of Canadian actors in it, albeit not because they were Canadian.
On the shared calendar, I saw that we had an opening Monday afternoon.
Hence Jean and I found ourselves at Landmark Cinemas for a matinee showing of Good Fortune.
Now, by this point the movie had been out for about four weeks and it was, you know, Monday afternoon. So this wasn’t a true “watching with a crowd” experience, given that there were only about two other people in attendance. But—notwithstanding our having gone to see a physics documentary at the Princess Cinema last month—it had been so long since we’d gone to a chain theatre, this seemed to qualify as a “novel” experience.
Plus, you know, Monday afternoon! On a non-holiday! Novel!
The Landmark was nice. We sprung for a few extra bucks to sit in the premium seats with recliners, heaters, a coat hook, and such. The screen was big. The movie was high definition. The sound was surround.
And the story was entertaining. The trailer is a pretty accurate synopsis: Arj, played by Ansari, is trying to stay afloat with part-time and “gig economy” jobs—and not entirely succeeding. He captures the attention of Gabriel, an angel played by Keanu Reeves, who longs to make bigger gestures than saving people from texting and driving. Though advised against it by his supervisor, Gabriel tries to show Arj that money wouldn’t solve all his problems by having him trade places with Jeff, played by Seth Rogen, a wealthy “tech bro” that Arj has been doing errands for. Only Arj very much enjoys living Jeff’s life and doesn’t particularly want to go back, setting off a chain of cosmic chaos.
It’s quite funny, it moves at a good clip (it’s about 90 minutes long), and it has a strong cast. It is pretty delightful seeing Keanu Reeves as a “budget angel”.
But, it’s kind of excruciating sitting through the struggles of Arj, and then Jeff, and also romantic foil Elena (played by Keke Palmer), working so hard for so little while Jeff, and then Arj, live in such leisure, comfort, and luxury. Because it is so true. And because I know which side of that spectrum I’m closer to (sitting in my premium seat, on a Monday afternoon).
Warning that I’m about to be a little spoilery about the ending…
There is some universe in which this movie ends with the entire worker class revolting against the capitalist system itself and, you know, seizing the means of production.
That is not the universe of this film. Here, love is the answer. Sure, workers are allowed to push back, but only in limited ways, within the system. Union drives. Labour action. And having walked in their shoes, “our” tech bro does improve matters for his workers—but not out of the goodness of his heart, nor from a newly imposed sense of injustice. It’s mainly out of fear that if he doesn’t, the workers will rise up and end the good thing he’s got going for himself.
Even within the film, there is a point at which it seems the best solution would be to just have Arj, Jeff, and Gabriel all share in Jeff’s good fortune. The house is huge. There’s more than enough money and space for everyone.
But that would be communism, or at least socialism, wouldn’t it? And we can’t have that! It’s against the order of things. That’s the role that Martha, the angel supervisor played by Sandra Oh, plays. She explains the rules to Gabriel. How things must be. Why Arj has to return to his previous life.
There will be poor always, pathetically struggling. Look at the good things we’ve got!
— Quote by the “Jesus Christ, Superstar” version of Jesus
Despite its limitations as a commercial product, this spry comedy provided more food for thought than one might expect. That’s something, I guess.
Cultureguru's Weblog 