Displaying items by tag: Keke Palmer

GOOD FORTUNE

US, 2025, 97 minutes, Colour.

Aziz Ansari, Seth Rogan, Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh, Stephen McKinley Henderson.

Directed by Aziz Ansari.

In a disturbed 21^st-century world, even in the divided United States, what really is Good Fortune? Here is a satirically-challenging response to the question.

In the aftermath of World War II, Hollywood asked this question for Americans in what is now the classic film, It’s a Wonderful Life. With the popularity of the film over the decades, it provided a Christmas message of hope, that despite all the difficulties, there would be some angel who could guide a troubled hero through all kinds of difficulties, financial, family, personal, and that there would be a very happy – wonderful – New Year.

Which means that Good Fortune is something of an attempt at It’s a Wonderful Life for the 2020s.

The film has been written, directed, starring role, by stand-up comedian, Aziz Ansari (multi-episodes of TVs Parks and Recreation). He plays Arj, Indian background, father with high expectations, but not managing practically with jobs, lining up for benefits, sleeping in his car, being moved on, the car impounded… It’s a Miserable Life.

But, just like the eager angels in Wim Wenders’ classic, Wings of Desire, with angels standing on buildings overlooking Berlin, ready to intervene, here we have the Los Angeles equivalent, each angel, hovering with holy intent, with various responsibilities, some ready to help lost souls but, our focus is on Gabriel, black coat, long black hair as if posing for a portrait of Jesus, comparatively small wings on his back, and it is Keanu Reeves. And Gabriel’s modest task is to save drivers who are texting – and the salutary collage of his saving these reckless textures, including Arj.

Gabriel takes pity on Arj and would like to save his lost soul but is warned off by Angel Martha, Sandra Oh. Gabriel hovers, watching, worrying. In the meantime, Arj has met an active union worker, Elena (Keke Palmer), but is too caught up in himself and his miserableness. But, then he has a delivery to an extravagant venture capitalist,Jeff, living in a luxury mansion, spending his day preoccupation with affluent trivia. His played by Seth Rogen.

So, poverty meets affluence and, with Gabriel’s messy intervention, what better than role reversal, Arj living the high life (and, in general without scruple, he does) and Jeff coming down to earth, trying to keep his job, discovering the realities of the day by day cost of living. And all complicated by Gabriel being rebuked and losing his angelic status and becoming human, lots of dishwashing jobs, discovering the taste of hamburgers and shakes, the exhilaration of dancing with the Latino community…

The three stars do enter their characters with quite some zest.

Well, it doesn’t take a prophet to foretell the ups and downs of what is going to happen, but, of course, the question is how is it going to happen? Will Arj recover his conscience? Will Jeff discover that there is such a thing as conscience? Will Elena and Arj be able to form a union in the workplace? Will Gabriel get back his wings?

For the time being, It can be a Wonderful, Good Fortune, Life.

1. An It’s a Wonderful Life for the 21^st-century? 21^st-century open and frank style?
2. The work of the writer-director, stand-up comedy, satire?
3. The story of Arj, Indian background, his father, his successful cousin (and the later revelation of tax evasion), talking to his young cousin about the future? His jobs, hard work, lining up for support, upset, in the diner, sleeping in his car, being moved on, and prospects, the factory, the encounter with Elena, her union work, conversations with her?
4. The fantasy of the angels, appearing with wings, images of Wim Wenders’ angels over Berlin, Gabriel, the Jesus’ appearance, his wings, watching? The collage of saving people while texting? His wanting more, to save the lost souls? The discussions with Martha, her control, wanting him? His interest in Arj, wanting to save him?
5. Arj, the deliveries for Jeff, Jeff and his wealth, house, lifestyle, hampered, trivial preoccupations, the discussion with Arj, Arj and deliveries and answering him back, offering to employ him, successfully, giving the card, the dinner with Elena, on Jeff’s recommendation, use of the card, Jeff attacking him, dismissing him?
6. Gabriel, his intervention, the discussions with Arj, the change with Jeff? Arj, adapting to the lifestyle, enjoying the luxuries? Jeff, going to work, hard? Gabriel, the reprimand from Martha? Gabriel made human, the work, washing up, Jeff and the food, hamburgers, chicken nuggets, tacos, milkshakes?
7. The situation with the three, the interchanges? Jeff allowing Arj to have three days? Arj, enjoying his style, extravagant, taking over Jeff’s birthday party, the dancing, the guests? Elena, the proposal for going to Paris, her conscientiousness and refusal?
8. Arj, involved in the accident, coma? Jeff’s reaction? Out of coma, pretending not to remember? The effect on Jeff? Jeff’s learning the hard life?
9. The situation, Gabriel making friends with the Latinos, the club, Elena? The discussions?
10. The conscience issues, Arj and having to face them, his father, prospects, ordinary life, with Elena? Jeff, the experience of hardship, back to normal? Gabriel, becoming an angel again, after all human experiences, even drinking, drugs…?
11. The reversal, Arj conscientious, working with Elena, the previous vote, the second vote, the walk off, social justice? Jeff, and his meetings, the scornful executives, Jeff and his laying down the law?
12. An allegory for the 21^st-century?

ONE OF THEM DAYS

US, 2025, 97 minutes, Colour.

Keke Palmer, SZA, Vanessa Cambell Calloway, Lil Rel Howery, Gabrielle Dennis, Janelle James, Amin Joseph, Joshua David Neal, Aziza Scott, Maude Apatow.

Directed by Laurence Lamont.

Week review: One of Then Movies. LA, loud. The hood, louder. All kinds of farcical situations, loudest.

This is the story of two friends, one who is successful in a diner and wanting to apply for managing a franchise. The other is an artist, talented, fairly irresponsible, absolutely erratic in her behaviour.

Most of the characters are in their 30s, the focus on women, some talented, some scattered, some fears. And it would seem that the target audience is the same women in their 30s. There are quite a number of men in the cast but so many of them are the subject of comedy, even ridicule.

And, except true character played by Maude Patel, all the characters and their situations are African-American.

Eccentric situation after’s eccentric situation is piled on the other, issues of not paying rent, being evicted, time pressures, issues of money being stolen, getting appear of train issues to sell them online to get the money, personal clashes and fights, suspicious characters, sympathetic characters at the interview for the job, jokes like a thief racing through every time there is a self-serve driving at a diner, all depending on one’s sense of humour.

But, despite everything, the chaotic scene at a blood bank, blood everywhere, there is a happy solution – actually occasioned by the white woman character.

And finally, Hollywood style after all the chaos, one of them happy endings!

(According to the IMDb, many of the target audience than the film very funny, hilarious. But, the question of whether the film would travel outside the good in LA, in other American cities – or beyond.)