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Good Fortune, the fantasy film by comedian Aziz Ansari, has been struggling in theaters. Several reasons may account for the film's performance: The generic title fails to express its movie's unique charm. Its script is often preachy and obvious with its messages. The acting seem uninspired and staged, as if the cast are reciting lines directly from the page. Moreover, it arrives during an era of financial uncertainty and inequality, which may render viewers not very open to a story which implies rich individuals enjoy every advantages while the poor have spirit.

But, this is where Good Fortune stands out: The film is original, daring, creative, often humorous, and undoubtedly timely. Plus, it provides an unexpectedly enjoyable Keanu Reeves character-driven movie.

Keanu Reeves in the role of Guardian: A Familiar Portrayal

I have not considered Keanu Reeves a strong performer. The actor's monotonal delivery and consistent expression of slight perturbation has consistently seemed one-note, despite the broad range of characters he's played during the past four decades years. Smart directors have often cast him in roles in which his stoic nature fits perfectly, including his early work to The Matrix to the action series. Yet nearly every one of these characters called for Reeves to seem tough, distant, and detached.

In Good Fortune, the actor plays an angel, one minor protecting angel assigned with looking after people that text when driving. His entire duty is sitting in his cars and lightly making contact with the drivers' shoulders when they are close to crash, alerting them so the driver brake in time. However, while positioned high above his domain, gazing on humanity similar to a version of a celestial figure in the director's renowned movie the angel story, Gabriel gets ambitious. He desires to be a great guardian and rescuer of lost individuals.

The Unexpected Turn: Keanu as a Mortal

Therefore, he presents his presence to struggling handyman a character (played by Aziz Ansari), who's residing in his car and resenting his situation. Gabriel proceeds to swaps the man into the existence of extremely wealthy businessman a character (played by the comedian). The point behind the experiment is for the character would realize the wealthy man's existence comes with significant downsides, and gratefully go back to his own life, much like the character in the classic film.

Problem was, the character immediately realizes that Jeff's problems (boring meetings, expensive heating bill) prove minor and easily resolved using money. Arj also sees how being rich opens up limitless chances for pleasurable fun. The character has zero desire in going back to his previous life, and the angel is unable to force Arj to return. Subsequently, more bad news comes: Because of overstepping his mandate and messing with the balance of existence, the character is fired as an angel role, and transformed to a human being.

A Revelation: Keanu Reeves Smiles

I was never convinced by Reeves playing an angel with big dreams and an intense desire to make a difference. He delivers a familiar somewhat stiff acting he has consistently offering for at least the last three ten-year periods. Watching Reeves in the role of angel who's recently turned mortal for the first time, on the other hand, proved to be a blast, for a reason which really astonished me at first: This is something different for Reeves. Or perhaps to be precise, something from the past.

Soon into his baffling experience being a human, clinging to the wealthy character (whom Gabriel had swapped into the handyman's hand-to-mouth existence and jobless situation), Gabriel begins hesitantly trying out human activities like chewing and consuming meals. And the actor smiles. Authentically, cautiously, joyously beams. (This is far more convincing than the smile shown in the promotional image, that appears artificially added.)

The Reason This Smile Matters

The moment truly surprised me to realize just how unexpected and welcome that expression was. When did we last we observed the actor smile in a film in which he wasn't showing ill will, irony, or bitterness? He likely tries a smile somewhere in 2020's misbegotten the sequel, however I'm not revisiting that mess to confirm. Reeves has been stuck with serious, murderous, broody, or just solemn characters for so long that merely seeing Reeves smile seemed like observing an entirely new performer.

While the story goes on, Gabriel finds himself having to get a dishwashing position, a role that fails to provide sufficient to live on, and he starts chain-smoking due to disappointment. Simply the image of Reeves in a disposable plastic food-service hat, his late-career signature long hair tied in an unglamorous bun, slouching on a building and puffing on a cigarette, is worth watching. The dishwasher attire completely changes his face and posture: Unexpectedly, the slim, well-dressed physical powerhouse of the John Wick films is awkward, unglamorous, and a lot increasingly human.

A Pleasure of Watching Reeves Loosen Up

The film isn't consistently enjoyable to view, particularly when Ansari (who also authored the script) must create plausible explanations for {Ar