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Good Fortune, the fantasy comedy by actor Aziz Ansari, has been facing challenges in theaters. Many reasons could explain the film's performance: Its generic name fails to express its film's distinctive charm. The screenplay is often preachy and heavy-handed regarding its messages. Its acting seem uninspired and presentational, like the actors are reading dialogue straight from a script. Moreover, the film comes during an era marked by financial anxiety and inequality, that could make viewers not very receptive to a narrative that suggests rich people enjoy all the advantages while the poor have spirit.

But, this is where Good Fortune stands out: The film is original, bold, creative, often funny, and undoubtedly timely. And, it provides a great the actor character-driven movie.

Reeves as an Angel: His Typical Portrayal

I have never considered Reeves to be a strong actor. The actor's flat speaking style and persistent look of mild concern have consistently felt limited, regardless of his wide range of characters he has taken on during the past 40 of his career. Astute filmmakers have often placed Reeves in parts where that stoic nature fits perfectly, from My Own Private Idaho to The Matrix to John Wick. But nearly all of these roles called for him to seem hardened, distant, and removed.

In Good Fortune, Reeves portrays Gabriel, one minor guardian angel tasked with looking after people that use their phones while behind the wheel. His whole duty involves sitting in his vehicles and lightly touching the drivers' arms as they are about to crash, alerting the person in order that they brake in time. However, when positioned high above the city, looking down on humanity similar to an alternative version of the angel from the director's classic movie Wings of Desire, the character gets aspirational. Gabriel desires to be a great protector and a savior of lost individuals.

A Surprising Shift: Keanu as a Human

So, he presents his presence to down-and-out handyman a character (played by Aziz Ansari), who's living out of a vehicle and cursing his life. The angel proceeds to swaps the man with the life of stupidly rich tech mogul a character (acted by the comedian). The idea behind the experiment was that the character would realize Jeff's life comes with significant drawbacks, and thankfully return to his original life, much like the figure from the classic film.

Issue was, Arj right away realizes how the mogul's issues (tedious appointments, expensive pool-heater bill) are minor and readily solved using wealth. He further sees how becoming rich provides limitless opportunities for pleasurable enjoyment. The character has zero desire in going back to his previous situation, and Gabriel is unable to compel Arj to go back. Then, more trouble arrives: Because of exceeding his duties and disrupting the balance of existence, the character loses his position as an angel job, and transformed to a mortal.

A Discovery: Keanu Reeves Grins

I was not persuaded by Reeves playing an angel with grand aspirations and a burning desire to make a difference. He turns in a familiar somewhat stiff acting he has consistently providing for at least the last three decades. Viewing him as an celestial being that has just turned mortal for the first time, however, was highly entertaining, due to something which truly surprised me at first: It's something different for the actor. Or perhaps more accurately, an aspect old.

Soon during the character's confusing career being a mortal, staying with the wealthy character (who the angel had swapped into the handyman's precarious life and jobless situation), Gabriel begins tentatively trying out everyday activities like chewing and swallowing meals. Then the actor smiles. Authentically, cautiously, joyously smiles. (This is a lot more convincing than his smile on the promotional image, which looks artificially added.)

Why This Smile Matters

It truly took me aback to recognize how surprising and welcome that smile felt. At what point did we last we saw the actor grin in a film in which he wasn't expressing malice, irony, or resentment? He probably tries it somewhere in the recent misbegotten Bill & Ted Face the Music, but I am not returning to that disappointment to find out. Reeves has been typecast with grim, murderous, broody, or just serious characters for such a duration that merely seeing him grin felt like seeing a completely new performer.

As the plot goes on, Gabriel ends up needing to take a kitchen position, which fails to provide enough for survival, and he begins smoking heavily out of frustration. Simply the sight of Reeves in a disposable plastic restaurant cap, his late-career signature long hair tied in a plain bun, leaning against a building and smoking a smoke, proves worth the price of admission. The dishwasher attire totally alters his face and posture: Unexpectedly, the lean, well-dressed physical powerhouse of his famous movies becomes awkward, ordinary, and much more human.

The Joy of Watching Keanu Relax

Good Fortune is not consistently enjoyable to watch, especially when the director (who also authored the script) has to create believable reasons for {Ar