“Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die”
(USA/Germany)
Metacritic (8/10), Letterboxd (4/5), Imdb.com (8/10), TMDB.com (8/10), Imdb critics review
#BrentMarchant #GoodLuckHaveFunDontDie #SamRockwell #JunoTemple #LosAngeles #HaleyLuRichardson #MichaelPeña #ZazieBeetz #timetraveler #cellphones #socialmedia #AI #diner #probablerealities #alternatetimeline #satire #virtualreality #attackdrone #clone #birthdaypartyentertainer #pizzadeliveryman #zombie #TheNightoftheLivingDead #EverythingEverywhereAllatOnce #highschoolteacher #singlemother #highschoolshooting #cautionarytale
Some prognosticators these days are contending that humanity is headed for a plunge off the edge of a cliff from which there’s no return. Others have even said that we’re already past that point. Either way, it would seem we’re at a critical juncture, a turning point of potentially mammoth proportions. But can anything be done to save us? That’s the question posed in director Gore Verbinski’s latest offering, a wild, whacked out sci-fi satire about the unfolding collapse of mankind and the efforts of a seemingly crazed time traveler from the future (Sam Rockwell) to save humanity. This manic, eccentric protagonist unexpectedly shows up in a present day Los Angeles diner to recruit a team of combatants to help him battle an evil force that will set mankind on an irretrievably unalterable path going forward. The enemy is a nine-year-old computer whiz (Artie Wilkinson-Hunt) who’s about to unleash a malignant form of AI that will lock us into an existence where everyone is hopelessly locked into the distractions of cell phones, social media, virtual reality and fascist AI, a paradigm enforced by relentless attack drones. With the help of seven ordinary individuals (all of them diner patrons who either volunteer or are unwittingly conscripted), the man from the future sets out on his quest to vanquish the enemy before it’s too late – an undertaking that he has apparently unsuccessfully attempted many times before. And, as this bizarre adventure unfolds, viewers are clued in on the back stories of several of these warriors and how their experiences have contributed to the emerging scenario. This includes the recent histories of Mark (Michael Peña) and Janet (Zazie Beetz), high school teachers who are unwittingly (and hysterically) confronted by a zombie-like student body involuntarily controlled by their cell phones, a segment reminiscent of “The Night of the Living Dead” (1968); Susan (Juno Temple), a middle-aged single mother who loses her son (Riccardo Drayton) in a school shooting but who is stunned when he is miraculously brought back to life as a clone (of sorts); and Ingrid (Haley Lu Richardson), a child’s birthday party entertainer who falls in love with a pizza deliveryman (Tom Taylor) who unsuspectingly becomes obsessed with virtual reality. These seemingly unrelated story threads ultimately become intertwined with one another as the film’s unlikely hero seeks to save the day. But can he? If this all sounds highly unusual, you’d be right – this is handily one of the strangest releases I’ve seen in ages. But it’s also one of the funniest, most outrageous tales I’ve ever seen committed to film. Besides the bitingly cynical and immensely creative humor served up here, “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” imparts a decidedly important cautionary tale about us and our unknowing surrender to technology that may well end up taking us places we don’t want to go. There’s also an inherently strong metaphysical streak running through the narrative, particularly when it comes to the nature of alternate timelines and probable realities, not unlike themes played out in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022) (but better explored here). Admittedly, this offering is a little overlong (especially in the final act), but, considering everything this title gets right (excellent performances, great special effects, big laughs), that’s easily overlooked. And it’s a fairly safe bet that the frantic nature of the picture and some of its edgy content won’t appeal to everyone. But those looking for something truly fresh, different and over the top while providing much to ponder, this one is clearly right up your alley. Keep that in mind the next time you speculate about the future – or step into your neighborhood diner.