Sam Rockwell Says His Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die Monologue Took a Shocking Amount of Time to Learn (and Makes His White Lotus Scene Look Easy)

Sam Rockwell’s latest film, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, is currently killing it with critics, sitting pretty at a 94% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, and earning him some pretty high praise for his performance. But the actor, who recently sat down with ComicBook’s Chris Killian to spill some details about this performance as well as his stint on The White Lotus, said that his monologue for the movie took him a pretty insane amount of time to nail.

When asked how much he resonated with his character in the film, Rockwell said, “It is like Groundhog Day for him, yeah. It’s like doing a play 8 nights a week.” And when touching on the differences between the few weeks that he had to prepare for his monologue in The White Lotus, versus the experience of preparing for the monologue that kicks off Good Luck, he said, “I’d say about four months, at least, working on it. I had it taped up on my wall at one point. Yeah, it was brutal trying to learn that thing. But it’s a beautiful script.”

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It’s an irreverent comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously, all the while holding up a mirror to our habits and reliance on technology as it blends The Terminator and Groundhog Day in a chaotic and absurd mix. Holding up his phone after being asked about technology that he’s had to distance himself from—a core theme of the film, which centers around a man who claims to be from the future as he enters an iconic diner in LA, only to take the diners hostage in his search for recruits to save the world, Rockwell says, “Yeah, this thing right here. It’s too much. When I’m walking down the street, I really try to curb it when I text.”

Critics are loving the film, showering it in well-deserved praise. “The story’s quirky tone and outlandish action sequences soften an otherwise preachy message. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die does not argue against technology itself, but urges us to maintain our own humanity,” says Jen Addams of Strong Female Antagonist. Justin Clark of Slant agrees, adding, “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’s obviousness only makes its proximity to the real-life A.I. slop invasion more unnerving, and the extent of what humanity has accepted for convenience’s sake more abhorrent.” 

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is currently playing in theaters.

Do you have a preference for Sam Rockwell’s monologues between this one and the one from The White Lotus? Let us know your favorite in the comments, and don’t forget to check out the ComicBook forum to see what other fans are saying.