Genre-bending director Gore Verbinski ventures into the world of time travel with his latest film, “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,” from Briarcliff Entertainment. Matthew Robinson writes the screenplay.
The story begins on a night in a crowded diner when a man bursts in, clutching a detonator. He calmly announces that he’s from the future. He resembles Sam Rockwell, sounds like him, and—if we are to believe him—this is the 117th time he’s attempted to prevent what is about to happen. Right from the start, “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” makes it clear that it has no interest in conventional time-travel logic. Time isn’t a puzzle to be solved; it’s an excuse to explore.
Caught up in the chaos is a group of distinctly unqualified diner patrons—Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Peña, Zazie Beetz, Asim Chaudhry, and Juno Temple—who hardly have time to comprehend the situation before they are asked to help save the world. The cast fully embraces the madness, and their enjoyment adds an essential energy to the film. Their performances keep the tone light and relatable, even as the concepts become increasingly bizarre.
The narrative unfolds in fragments, skipping through a series of surreal detours rather than building towards a straightforward climax. We encounter algorithm-driven nightmares, virtual reality addiction, teenage zombies, clones, pig-masked killers, a woman devoted to wearing princess outfits, and a bizarre cat that surely feels like a misguided idea brought to life. Each sequence can stand on its own, but together, they paint a picture of a future quietly unraveling—not from a single catastrophic event but from a cascade of poor decisions and unchecked convenience.
What makes this film work is its tone. It never plunges so deeply into darkness that it forgets to inject humor. The film approaches its nightmarish scenarios with a wry smile, allowing humor to seep into the dread. This light touch keeps the satire sharp without crossing into smugness.
Sam Rockwell serves as the glue that holds everything together. His trademark swagger lends a grounded quality to even the wildest dialogue, while his weariness conveys the plight of a man trapped in a seemingly endless cycle of failure. He brings warmth and control to a role that could easily have become a mere gimmick, and the film benefits from it.
For all its eccentricity, “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” resonates on a personal level. It doesn’t preach about artificial intelligence or the future; instead, it observes us racing towards it and questions whether anyone has taken the time to slow down. Strange, funny, and subtly unsettling, it uses time travel not merely as spectacle but as a reflective mirror
Final Grade: B+
“Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” opens Friday, February 13th
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