Good Luck Have Fun Don’t Die: An Original Adventure Comedy

A fun exercise in controlled chaos, no other title sets the tone better than Good Luck Have Fun Don’t Die. Marking the return of director Gore Verbinski, he certainly found the right project with this film. This sci-fi adventure comedy may not be the most subtle in terms of its commentary on today’s technology-driven, zombie-creating society (for which it is not wrong), but there is an endearing quality to its goofiness. While some audiences may find themselves rolling their eyes on that aforementioned unsubtle commentary, it is a good time to be had thanks to a stellar ensemble cast including the likes of Sam Rockwell, Haley Lu Richardson, and Juno Temple just to name a few. Though it also may run a tad too long, clocking in at over 2+ hours, the choice to balance character backstories in the midst of an overarching narrative created a fuller experience. A story about a near future world on the brink of destruction, it helps to have a reason to care about the characters and to illustrate the impact of the crisis at hand and establish the stakes. Jumping back and forth, the film does take some time to find its groove, however, once it all comes together, it is an absolute blast that is best enjoyed when turning off one’s brain.

The long-titled Good Luck Have Fun Don’t Die centers around The Man from the Future (Rockwell), and his mission to recruit the right combination of disgruntled Los Angeles diner patrons to join him on a one-night journey to save the world from the threat of a rogue artificial intelligence. Having attempted his mission some 100+ times prior, the man from the future merely travels back to beginning of the evening should it fail. Employing varying strategies with different combinations of the same group of patrons, he remained determined to keep trying until he got it right. However, appearing out of nowhere and trying to recruit people to his cause appeared to be quite the ask, especially for those too busy on their smartphones to notice. During a time when technology has made lives around the world easier, it has also left that same world more fractured than ever. As the line between fantasy and reality grows increasingly blurry, one wrong step could tip someone over the edge. Warning the present of a dangerous AI whose consumption of much of the modern world has led to its downfall, convincing others of the potential of that future was always going to be a challenge to those who didn’t believe his story, or that he was from the future.

In spite of those odds, now, on his 117th attempt, the man believed he had finally found the right combination to help him succeed. Little did he know, they each played a part in what was happening. Focused on his mission and after having gone through countless incarnations of the diner patrons, they were essentially a means to an end for the man. However the night ultimately played out, it was clear that not all of them would survive. That being said, the backstories of these characters, regardless of their impact on the film’s momentum, were so compelling to watch and a highlight. Be it high school teachers Mark and Janet (Michael Peña, Zazie Beetz) becoming the targets of a teenage smartphone-wielding mob, low-tech princess impersonator Ingrid (Richardson) who lost her boyfriend to virtual reality, or Susan (Temple), a grieving mother who lost her son following a school shooting, these characters proved productive and more than just a means to and end for the plot. After plenty of trial and error, the man had a general idea of how to approach the situation. Failing all his previous attempts, this latest group got him the further than he had ever gone before. Offering up new or subtle variations of previous sets of obstacles for him to contend with every time, this latest attempt was no different, finding himself in yet another cat-and-mouse game with the AI, and the legion of forces at its disposal. Armed with a promising configuration of patrons, the main driving force was the hope that this time was going to be different.

The further the man from the future, and his merry gang of courageous diner patrons, went, the more chaotic the film became, matching the response from the AI. Keeping audiences, and the characters, on edge through much of the film, there’s a real tension in the not knowing what will come around the corner next. Working together, the journey was not without sacrifice as the man made it clear that not all the patrons would survive this latest attempt. Culminating with a raucous climax that saw the film at its most chaotic, as the AI, and its forces, closed in for one last stand, the intensity (and the ridiculousness) ratcheted up. Reinforcing its commentary in such grandiose fashion, it has a few more tricks left up its sleeve as it challenges our perception of fantasy and reality while pulling the rug out from audiences. Perhaps the film doesn’t exactly stick the landing, prioritizing its messaging over its conclusion, the battle against the dangers of AI remains.

On the technical side, the film, for the most part, is dark and gloomily lit, but it works here as it plays into the doom and gloom atmosphere. A far cry from the brightness and obliviousness of the version of the world in the characters’ backstories, once reality hits, that doom and gloom take over. Well shot, the film saves most of its bag of tricks for towards the end, the inventiveness of screenwriter Matthew Robinson and the VFX team made for some offbeat creations and unforgettable moments. Similarly, the theatrics of the finale brought on some excitement in its own right, despite its predictability. Both the start and end of the journey may be predictable, the film throws in enough in between to make it worthwhile. On the other hand, what also goes a long way in making it work is the film’s stellar cast. However, Good Luck Have Fun Don’t Die begins and ends with Rockwell in a role he was born to play. As a man from the future, he once again brings his signature snark and scene-stealing energy. A rough around the edges smartass with a heart of gold, his arc is the best part of the film. Meanwhile, the remainder of the supporting cast deliver strong performances to help round out the winning group dynamic.

Good Luck Have Fun Don’t Die is an absolute blast, delivering one of the most original adventure comedies in recent memory, thanks to a stellar ensemble cast.

still courtesy of Briarcliff Entertainment

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.