Sci-Fi Satire 'Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die' Delivers Unhinged Thrills

Gore Verbinski's latest film poses uncomfortable questions about technology, grief, and human connection.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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When a scruffy, unhinged man (Sam Rockwell) bursts into a late-night Los Angeles diner claiming to be from the future, he recruits patrons to help him stop a young boy from programming an AI that will trigger the apocalypse. The twist is that Rockwell's character has lived this night over and over again, and his empathy for the people he's saving has completely evaporated. What follows is a satirical meat grinder that feeds contemporary anxieties about technology, grief, and human connection into the blades to see what emerges.

Why it matters

In an era of sanitized studio filmmaking, 'Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die' is a wild, unhinged ride that refuses to shy away from difficult questions about the role of technology in our lives. The film's three extended flashbacks depict how technology has dismantled the lives of the diner patrons, touching on issues like school shootings, the commodification of grief, and the erosion of human connection.

The details

The film follows a 'Groundhog Day'-style structure, with Rockwell's character repeatedly reliving the same night in the diner. This gives the narrative a frantic, propulsive energy as he tries to get the patrons to help him stop the apocalypse. The three flashbacks that make up the heart of the film explore how technology has impacted the lives of the characters, with the second flashback featuring a particularly chilling sequence where a woman customizes a clone of her dead son. Verbinski's visual imagination shines, particularly in the third flashback featuring a woman 'allergic' to Wi-Fi.

  • The film takes place over the course of one night in a late-night Los Angeles diner.

The players

Sam Rockwell

An acclaimed actor who plays the scruffy, unhinged man from the future in the film.

Gore Verbinski

The director of the film, known for his visually inventive and thematically ambitious work.

Michael Peña

An actor who appears in one of the film's extended flashbacks as a stressed-out teacher.

Zazie Beetz

An actress who appears alongside Michael Peña in one of the film's extended flashbacks.

Juno Temple

An actress who appears in one of the film's extended flashbacks as a woman who loses her son and is led down a rabbit hole of secret cloning corporations.

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The takeaway

In an era of sanitized studio filmmaking, 'Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die' is a bold, uncompromising film that refuses to shy away from the darker implications of technology's impact on our lives. Verbinski's ambitious vision and the film's talented cast make it a memorable and thought-provoking experience.