Unfortunate Fortune (2026)

-Written by Kyle Bain.

Down on his luck, Todd (Timothy J. Cox) visits a fortune teller with the hopes that he receives some good news. Unfortunate Fortune follows Todd as he tries to navigate a world determined to crush him. 

Writer-Director Adam Dailey and Ryan Dailey rely on juxtaposition to guide their story and make it more accessible to the viewer. One key aspect of this is the use of light. Unfortunate Fortune opens to deep, sinister reds as Todd is read his fortune. A darkness sets in, something that never fully dissipates and remains with viewers throughout the duration of the film. Later, however, those warm reds transition to much cooler blues, initially subverting viewers’ expectations and forcing them to believe that Todd’s life is headed in the right direction. The ebb and flow of Unfortunate Fortune causes it to become intentionally unbalanced, consistently altering what viewers believe is on the horizon for Todd. 

Cox attacks Todd with something almost whimsical that plays well against the darkness that remains everpresent in Unfortunate Fortune. Cox has a way of conveying something akin to innocence in nearly all of his roles, and that allows viewers to appreciate his characters, even in their darkest moments. It’s important that Cox is able to convey this throughout Unfortunate Fortune, as the subject matter could easily sway viewers in the direction of detestation. With Cox’s ability to blend both innocence and malice into one, multifaceted character, this short film is able to thrive. 

Furthermore, while the success of Unfortunate Fortune relies heavily on the continued use of juxtaposition, it also relies on the continued narrative shift. The Dailys continue to subvert expectations, clearly setting them in the early going, then forcing their film to change direction without a moment’s notice, repeatedly challenging those expectations and altering the way in which we see the film. 

In some ways Unfortunate Fortune is a moving puzzle, a film that constantly changes direction, juxtaposes itself, and keeps viewers on their toes. The film is short, quick, and gets to the punch in a matter-of-fact fashion. However, that’s not to say that the film is underdeveloped, because it’s a film that is fully aware of what it wants to be. It develops to the point that intrigues viewers, it propels itself forward, and it continues to enthrall until the closing moments. Unfortunate Fortune does potentially end a bit too soon, but that [almost] promise of something more to come is titillating enough that I still found myself content after the conclusion. Led brilliantly by Cox, Unfortunate Fortune is an intelligent, charismatic, and fun (albeit horrifying) telling of greed and the human condition. 

Written & Directed by Adam Dailey & Ryan Dailey. 

Starring Timothy J. Cox, Diane M. Strohm, George R. Hildebrand, Jay Buchheim, etc. 

7.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING