Overview

• Early festival reactions highlight Reeves’ scene-stealing turn as a guardian angel, with critiques divided on the film’s social satire and finale.
• Ansari’s feature directing debut stars himself alongside Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, Sandra Oh and Keke Palmer.
• The comedy uses a life-swap setup between a struggling gig worker and a wealthy tech investor to explore wealth disparity.
• Ansari cited inspirations from classic comedies like Sullivan’s Travels, My Man Godfrey and It’s a Wonderful Life.
• At the premiere, Ansari grew emotional thanking his wife for support, as Lionsgate affirmed the Oct. 17 wide release.