There’s a patchwork quality to ‘Good Fortune’, but that’s part of its charm. It’s an irresistibly likeable film with clear nods to ‘Trading Places’, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, and the underrated 1990 celestial comedy ‘Mr. Destiny’. All these stories share a common thread – the fantasy of glimpsing an alternate life and discovering what might have been if fate had taken a different turn.

Traditionally, these films involve a wealthy, self-absorbed protagonist who must be taught humility – a modern-day Scrooge, shown the error of their ways. But ‘Good Fortune’ cleverly reverses that formula. Here, the poor man who swaps lives with a rich counterpart finds that he rather enjoys wealth – and, refreshingly, isn’t so keen to return to his old existence or learn a moral lesson at all.

This inversion gives the film its bite. It’s both a whimsical fantasy and a sly commentary on the modern gig economy, where people juggle endless jobs, from waiting in line to courier work, while peering longingly at lives they’ll never access. The class satire feels very contemporary, even as it borrows its structure from classic Hollywood fables.

Adding to the film’s offbeat humour is Keanu Reeves, who plays an angel overseeing earthly affairs. Each celestial being has their own area of responsibility – Reeves, hilariously, is the “angel of texting and driving”, whose job is to tap motorists on the shoulder just before disaster strikes. But even this angel longs to do something more meaningful – to redeem lost souls rather than prevent near misses.

What’s striking is how ‘Good Fortune’ toys with the usual redemptive arc. Instead of suggesting that poverty equals virtue and wealth corrupts, it asks a mischievous question: if you could truly trade places – and liked the result – why would you ever go back? It’s a refreshing twist on a well-worn premise, and one that lands with surprising wit and warmth.

Like ‘The Family Man’ with a sharper satirical edge, ‘Good Fortune’ reminds us that life lessons don’t always arrive neatly packaged – and sometimes, enlightenment comes not from giving up what you’ve gained, but from seeing clearly what it costs to keep it.