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Good Fortune, this fantasy comedy from actor Aziz Ansari, is facing challenges at the box office. Several reasons may explain its performance: Its uninspired title fails to convey the movie's distinctive appeal. Its screenplay is often moralizing and obvious with its themes. The performances seem flat and staged, as if the cast are reciting dialogue straight from the page. Moreover, the film comes at a time marked by financial anxiety and inequality, which could render viewers not very open to a story that suggests wealthy individuals enjoy all the benefits while those in need have spirit.

However, here's where the movie excels: It's original, bold, creative, often humorous, and certainly relevant. Plus, it offers an unexpectedly enjoyable the actor character-driven experience.

Keanu Reeves in the role of Angel: A Familiar Portrayal

Personally, I've never considered Reeves to be a strong actor. The actor's flat speaking style and persistent expression of slight perturbation has always seemed limited, regardless of his broad range of roles he has taken on over the past 40 of his career. Smart filmmakers have cast Reeves in parts where his stoic nature works ideally, including My Own Private Idaho to the sci-fi classic to John Wick. But almost all of those roles required him to seem tough, closed-off, and detached.

In Good Fortune, the actor plays an angel, one minor guardian angel assigned with looking after people that text when driving. His entire duty is remaining in his cars and lightly making contact with their shoulders as they are about to have an accident, warning them in order that they brake in time. However, while standing overlooking the city, gazing upon humanity similar to a version of a celestial figure in Wim Wenders' renowned movie the angel story, Gabriel becomes aspirational. He wants to become an exceptional guardian and a savior of lost souls.

The Surprising Shift: Reeves as a Human

So, he reveals himself to struggling odd-jobber a character (played by the director), who is residing out of his car and resenting his life. The angel proceeds to swaps the man into the life of extremely wealthy tech mogul a character (acted by the comedian). This idea behind the experiment was for Arj would understand Jeff's existence comes with major downsides, and thankfully go back to his original life, similar to the figure from the classic film.

Problem was, the character right away discovers how Jeff's problems (tedious appointments, expensive heating bill) are minor and easily resolved using money. Arj also realizes how becoming rich opens up limitless chances for pleasurable enjoyment. He has zero desire in going back to his own situation, and the angel can't force him to go back. Then, more bad news comes: Because of overstepping his duties and messing with the order of existence, Gabriel is fired as an celestial role, and turned to a human being.

A Discovery: Keanu Reeves Smiles

I was not convinced by the actor as an celestial being with grand aspirations and an intense wish to make a difference. He turns in the same somewhat constipated acting he's been offering for no less than the past three ten-year periods. Watching Reeves as an angel that has recently become mortal initially, on the other hand, proved to be a blast, due to something which really surprised viewers initially: This is something different for Reeves. Or to be precise, something from the past.

Soon during the character's baffling career being a mortal, staying with Jeff (whom Gabriel exchanged into Arj's hand-to-mouth existence and jobless status), the character starts hesitantly trying out everyday experiences such as eating and consuming meals. Then Reeves smiles. Authentically, hesitantly, happily beams. (It's a lot more convincing than his smile shown in the promotional image, which appears artificially added.)

Why This Smile Matters

It really took me aback to recognize just how unexpected and refreshing that smile felt. At what point did we last audiences saw the actor smile in a film in which he was not expressing malice, irony, or resentment? He probably attempts it at some point in 2020's misbegotten Bill & Ted Face the Music, however I am not revisiting that mess to confirm. Reeves has remained stuck with grim, murderous, introspective, or just solemn roles for such a duration that merely seeing Reeves grin seemed like seeing an entirely new performer.

As the plot progresses, Gabriel ends up having to take a dishwashing position, a role that doesn't pay sufficient to live on, and Gabriel starts chain-smoking due to frustration. Simply the sight of Reeves in a disposable paper food-service hat, his late-career trademark locks pulled back in a plain ponytail, leaning on a building and smoking a smoke, is worthy of watching. His dishwasher getup totally changes his face and posture: Unexpectedly, the lean, suited action star of the John Wick movies is gawky, unglamorous, and much increasingly relatable.

The Pleasure of Viewing Reeves Loosen Up

The film isn't always fun to watch, especially when Ansari (that additionally wrote the script) has to create believable reasons for {Ar