Sam Rockwell's Grueling Experience Filming 'Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die'
Academy Award-winning actor Sam Rockwell has candidly revealed that he was "so miserable" during the production of his upcoming time-travel action-adventure-comedy Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die. The film, which Rockwell describes as "Black Mirror on steroids," presented numerous physical challenges for the star, primarily due to a cumbersome 40-pound suit he wore throughout the Cape Town shoot.
The Physical Toll of Filming
"I'd have to sit most of the days because it was so heavy," Rockwell admitted. "Nothing could prepare me for the suit. It was the low budget version. It wasn't the one that Tom Cruise would have worn!" The actor's perseverance impressed director Gore Verbinski, who praised Rockwell's work ethic alongside legendary actors he's previously directed like Michael Caine and Johnny Depp.
The suit wasn't the only challenge. Illness became so commonplace on set that the cast began referring to the film as "Good luck. Have fun. Don't diarrhoea." Medics regularly distributed pills to manage digestive issues, though Rockwell grimaced at the solution: "If you took the pill, it would dry you up for a week. I'd rather have the runs in that suit, man."
A Film with Multiple Layers
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die combines elements from several successful films and shows, aiming for what Rockwell describes as "Everything Everywhere All At Once is our demographic, whatever that demographic is." The film blends the bonkers nature of the Oscar-winning multiverse comedy with the originality of horror hit Weapons and the satirical edge of Black Mirror.
Rockwell plays the Man From The Future, who arrives at an L.A. diner on a mission to save humanity from AI and our addiction to smartphones. "It's talkie action," Rockwell explains, noting his character delivers an evangelizing speech he's supposedly given 117 times before. The ensemble cast includes Asim Chaudhry, Zazie Beetz, and Juno Temple as the unlikely group recruited to save humanity.
Political Messages and Industry Concerns
The film tackles several contemporary issues, including school shootings and artificial intelligence. One plot point involves a tech company cloning children killed in school shootings. "It is a political message, I suppose," Rockwell conceded. "I'm not political, but yeah...one school shooting is too many, that's the bottom line. And we're having way too much of that in the States."
Director Verbinski expressed concerns about AI's creative limitations, noting that while technology can regurgitate old ideas, filmmakers strive for originality. "Every time I make a movie...I don't want to do that again," he stated, despite having directed three Pirates of the Caribbean films.
The Future of Cinema
Rockwell reflected on the state of the film industry, particularly for independent movies like Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die. While encouraged by the success of tentpole films like No Time To Die and Top Gun during the pandemic, he expressed uncertainty about smaller films' theatrical prospects.
"A dark theatre, with popcorn...it's great," Rockwell said nostalgically. "Even if it's empty." The actor, known for independent films like Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (for which he won an Oscar), continues to balance studio projects with smaller films, including the upcoming CIA comedy-drama Wild Horse Nine with director Martin McDonagh.
Despite the physical hardships and industry challenges, Rockwell remains proud of the film's imaginative risks and timely messages. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die arrives in cinemas on February 20th, offering audiences what Rockwell hopes will be a thought-provoking cinematic experience that justifies the discomfort he endured during production.
