Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die 4K 2025

Gore Verbinski is finally back. After an eight-year hiatus, the director delivers a film that reminds us what’s truly worth fighting for—and what we must never let things come to. "Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die" is an uneven film, yet it’s vibrant, witty, and at times deeply moving.

Verbinski and Robinson chose an unusual structure: barely has the action begun when it is repeatedly interrupted by flashbacks explaining who these people are and how they ended up living this way. In a classic linear narrative, getting to know the characters would drag on for a boring half-hour, or even an hour of exposition, but here you’re constantly being flung between the past and the present, forcing you to pay close attention to what’s happening. But even this technique doesn’t save the second act from dragging: somewhere in the middle, the film loses its momentum, and that’s a shame, because the opening and the ending are executed perfectly.

Verbinski has always been skilled at blending genres, and his talent shines here. The film balances between black comedy, thriller, and drama, and it does so effortlessly, without straining. This contrast works well precisely because the director doesn’t try to smooth it over.

Juno Temple and Hailee Lu Richardson excel in roles that could easily have become caricatures. They know exactly who they’re playing and avoid falling into one-dimensionality. Michael Peña and Zazie Beetz add humanity and light humor to the film. But Sam Rockwell steals the show. His character is the nerve center and the main driving force of the plot. His performance conveys despair, hope, and deadly exhaustion from endless reboots. It’s a real shame that we’ve seen him so rarely on the big screen lately.

Verbinski reminds us that he knows how to make movies people want to watch, and the actors do everything they can to make you empathize with them. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s an honest and solid piece of work.