"GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON'T DIE" - MINI-REVIEW
In his first feature outing since 2016’s flawed but fascinating A CURE FOR WELLNESS, director Gore Verbinski (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, RANGO) employs his incredible filmmaking prowess, his love for these kinds of movies, an inspired ensemble cast led by the inimitable Sam Rockwell at his most Rockwellian, and a great script (by Matthew Robinson) to deliver both his wildest vision and his most narratively cohesive and satisfying movie, and maybe the most convincing argument to finally put down your damn phone already.
What begins as a gleefully nihilistic black comedy cleverly mutates into an oddly warm and heartfelt plea to unplug and connect with the people in front of you, whether they be the family in your home or the complete strangers in the diner hastily assembled to make a journey across town (and in Rockwell’s case, across time?) to stop impending apocalyptic doom.
This is not normally my type of movie. Often times I find this type of movie annoying (and quite possibly you’ve had enough with impending doom lately), and while I have always appreciated Verbinski‘s aesthetic and cracked sense of humor, I have found his output to be inconsistent. I would argue, since Verbinski still maintains a tight control over the visuals, that this isn’t “completely unhinged“ as the poster says, but it is a punk rock shake up that represents the very best of what he can deliver.
I will say no more of the plot because the riches within are too rich in terms of script and performances; in addition to Rockwell, Haley Lu Richardson (THE WHITE LOTUS) and Juno Temple (TED LASSO) are the film’s MVPs.
It’s 12 MONKEYS with the narrative structure of WEAPONS. It’s fun, it’s sincere, and it’s worth your time. The future may depend on it.
GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE opens in theaters everywhere Thursday night.
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Zach is a proud member of the Minnesota Film Critics Association (MNFCA). For more info about Zach, the organization, or to read other great reviews from other great Minnesota-based film critics, click here: www.mnfca.com