By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
Who says originality is gone from American cinema? “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” is a creatively unique film that unites science fiction with comedy and adventure while incorporating very topical themes. The story is pointedly insightful, and its satirical nature humorously pokes fun at modern digital culture that will have viewers laughing at the extreme applications while simultaneously agreeing with the messaging.
A Man From the Future (Sam Rockwell), who looks and sounds more like a crazed homeless man, barges into a Los Angeles diner and must identify and convince the correct combination of patrons to join him on a quest to save the world that very night. Despite his off-putting appearance, he successfully recruits romantically involved high school teachers, Mark (Michael Pena) and Janet (Zazie Beetz), a grieving mother in Susan (Juno Temple), and a disgruntled young woman curiously dressed in a princess costume named Ingrid (Haley Lu Richardson) to name a few. The group’s mission: to stop a nine-year-old boy from creating an artificial intelligence that achieves singularity, thus wiping out half the world’s population.
The story concept of a rogue AI achieving singularity that threatens humanity’s existence is not new, especially in recent years, but director Gore Verbinski takes this down an unorthodox path that unleashes his creativity while still grounding it with practical messaging that hits home. He brilliantly incorporates today’s TikTok culture, shining a glaring light on people with their heads constantly buried in their phones, especially the younger generation. It’s a great illustration of how smart phones and social media have evolved from useful tools to more of a co-dependent relationship. He also takes a shot at the growing desensitization of school shootings, which seem to occur on an almost daily basis. Verbinski applies these current topics and messages in an extreme and hilarious manner to this sci-fi plot.
The director of the first three “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies uses a non-linear chapter style format that reveals the background of several main characters and how they end up being at this diner. While the flashback sequences provide much needed context, they do slow the overarching plot, occasionally causing stagnated moments. However, Verbinski rebounds with his darkly satirical themes and surprising, frenetic action sequences that provide a satisfying amount of amusement and excitement. The cinematography matches the energy of the film, producing the striking visuals Verbinski is known for which enables a more engaging experience for the audience.
There is only one actor who can play this lead role so convincingly, perfectly straddling the line between lunacy and compelling logic, and that is Sam Rockwell. This is a role that allows him to supply that quick-witted wackiness like only he can with an almost unhinged fervor that makes viewers and other characters alike hang on his every word. Rockwell is a professional in the Meisner technique, and he brings that skill set to bear in this film, listening with intensity and reacting instinctively. This provides an unrivaled authenticity to his performance, and his high-energy, chaotic nature adds an unpredictability that is mesmerizing.
Even though Rockwell steals every scene he’s in, the supporting cast does a decent job filling out their respective roles and setting Rockwell up to succeed. English veteran actress Juno Temple makes her presence known, adding a likability factor to her character while also harboring a secret agenda that may help or harm the group’s mission. It’s Haley Lu Richardson that stands out above the rest, however, providing an intriguing mysteriousness to her character that only deepens as her reckless motivations present an added element of danger and volatility.
Bonkers, weird, inventive, and any other synonym you can think of are the best ways to describe this entertaining film. “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” offers a more unique experience for your Valentine’s Day weekend with some relatable messaging that is right on the money. The weirdness doesn’t always land, but Rockwell’s energetic humor does, and he puts this production firmly on his back, treating audiences to a memorable experience.
This movie earns:
