Good Fortune

Good Fortune is an inspiring "rags to riches" story about how John Paul DeJoria went from being homeless twice in his life, to then becoming a successful entrepreneur and lifelong philanthropist. The documentary focuses on how JP started brands such as Paul Mitchell and Patron Tequila from pretty much nothing, and the hardships that he has overcome in order to be in the position that he is in today. Throughout the film, the audience is taken back in time to pivotal moments in JP's life in order to show the tough road to success that he has conquered. My favorite aspect of the film was the countless stories told by close friends of JP's, such as Dan Aykroyd and Michelle Phillips, which gives the audience an in depth and personal account of JP's life that wouldn't normally be available to the public. I really enjoyed watching this genuine and positive documentary, and highly recommend it to anyone interested in knowing what the true definition of the American Dream is.

Good Fortune is an inspiring documentary about the rags to riches story of a man named John Paul Dejoria. If you haven't heard of him, you've almost definitely heard of his businesses – he's the founder and CEO of companies like Patron and Paul Mitchell. John Paul isn't your typical businessman, however. The film details how Dejoria grew up destitute and was at one point homeless and how that experience shaped him. Now that he is so successful, he gives back to over 160 different charities and activist organizations. The directors, Josh and Rebecca Tickell, have previously won awards for their other documentaries likes Fuel, and it is no surprise that Good Fortune turned out so well. I loved the pacing they used and the variety of the scenes in the film. There are narrative moments telling us about John Paul's life, there are interviews with his friends that give us a deeper look into the type of person he is, and there are scenes where we see John Paul in action running his businesses and doing charity work. The variety of these scenes keeps you engaged in topics like business and charity, and makes you invest emotionally into the story of John Paul's life. He has an amazing story that made for an amazing movie.

What distinguishes Good Fortune from other documentaries you've seen in recent years is one thing: a smile. Your smile. In a market positively saturated with negative information, morally bankrupt businesses and the absolute destruction of our planet, Good Fortune and its protagonist John Paul DeJoria push the pendulum 180 degrees in the other direction. This is a movie about hope, success against all odds and most importantly – doing something important with that standpoint. The narrative arc follows J.P. DeJoria through homelessness (twice), gang membership, business success and finally philanthropy. Though founding Paul Mitchell and attaining wealth from humble backgrounds would be admirable by itself, the fact that J.P. decided to invest in technologies such as solar power as well as back into the community through charity elevates his actions to rarity. What distinguishes DeJoria from his peers in the business community is his unhampered commitment to his planet and his people; a shot in the offices of Paul Mitchell demonstrates his true love for the employees, calling them geniuses and asking for their opinions about the product. This action extends directly to the viewer's heart in the seconds following, as he waits, genuinely interested in the answer. Good Fortune stands as a rags to riches tale told through the rear-view mirror of a man who intimately understands the road he's traveled on, and hasn't forgotten a single bump along the way. Equally successful as its subject, I give Good Fortune the highest distinction as a documentary fan and the biggest recommendation as a human being with a now-full heart.

The path to success does not come easy, but Good Fortune shows that no businessman has to lose their soul to the daily grind. Following billionaire and Paul Mitchell CEO John Paul DeJoria, Good Fortune is the story of how DeJoria practices conscious capitalism and gives back to over 160 charities today. Fuel directors Josh and Rebecca Tickell made this documentary personal with the genuine interviews from DeJoria's friends and with the old photographs and archival footage. I specifically loved the personal interviews from stars such as Danny Trejo, Dan Aykroyd, and Michelle Phillips! Being a fan of The Mama's and the Papa's, seeing Michelle Phillips' interview gushing about her childhood friend DeJoria was personally one of the highlights of this movie for me. My favorite part is an ironic story Phillips told about a time when her and DeJoria passed an innocent note in class, how their teacher caught them, and how he made both Phillips and DeJoria stand up in class and said "these two will never amount to anything." I can sit here writing about every aspect I loved about this movie, but honestly, I would just ruin it for you. I recommend this movie because every single scene gets better and more inspiring!

The newest documentary from Josh and Rebecca Tickell is a personal and inspiring looking into conscious capitalism. Focusing on John Paul DeJoria, Good Fortune tells JP's story from his childhood up until today. JP's life is fascinating as he was homeless twice and living out of his car before he founded Paul Mitchell and Patron Tequila. The founding of his companies is incredibly interesting, with the story of discovering Patron particularly standing out. Through a mix of reenactments, archival footage and interviews with JP and many friends, including huge celebrities like Danny Trejo, Arianna Huffington and Dan Aykroyd (who also narrates the film), Good Fortune paints a vivid portrait of JP as a business pioneer and humanitarian. It is heartwarming to hear all the nice things people have to say about JP and see how he uses his wealth to give back to over 160 charities. My favorite moment is probably when his daughter tears up telling the story of the time JP bought a woman and her family a meal at a diner. The woman stood up and thanked whoever did the good deed, but JP never took any credit for it. The moment represents the best part of the documentary: the compassion and the heart that JP shows the world and that we all should show each other. If you are looking for an entertaining documentary about the human condition, Good Fortune is the one.