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Good Fortune, the fantasy comedy from comedian Aziz Ansari, has been facing challenges at the box office. Several factors may account for its reception: Its generic name fails to convey its film's unique charm. The screenplay is often moralizing and obvious with its messages. The acting are flat and presentational, as if the cast are reading dialogue directly from the page. Moreover, it arrives during an era of economic anxiety and inequality, that could make audiences less receptive to a story that implies wealthy individuals enjoy every benefits while those in need have spirit.

However, this is where Good Fortune excels: The film is unique, daring, imaginative, frequently humorous, and undoubtedly timely. Plus, it offers an unexpectedly great the actor hangout movie.

Keanu Reeves in the role of Guardian: His Typical Performance

Personally, I've never regarded Keanu Reeves to be a good performer. The actor's flat speaking style and persistent look of mild concern have always felt one-note, despite the broad variety of roles he has played during the past four decades of his career. Smart directors have cast him in roles in which his stoic nature fits ideally, including My Own Private Idaho to The Matrix to John Wick. Yet almost every one of these characters called for him to seem tough, distant, or removed.

Throughout the film, the actor portrays Gabriel, one low-level guardian celestial being tasked with looking after people who use their phones while driving. The character's entire duty involves remaining in their cars and gently making contact with the drivers' shoulders when they're about to crash, warning them so they stop in time. But, when standing overlooking his domain, looking down on the mortal world similar to an alternative interpretation of a celestial figure from the director's renowned film the angel story, the character becomes ambitious. Gabriel wants to become an exceptional protector and rescuer of lost individuals.

A Surprising Shift: Reeves as a Mortal

So, Gabriel presents himself to struggling handyman Arj (played by Aziz Ansari), who is living in a vehicle and resenting his situation. The angel proceeds to exchanges the man into the existence of extremely rich businessman Jeff (acted by the comedian). This idea behind the exercise was for the character to understand the wealthy man's life has significant downsides, and thankfully return to his own circumstances, similar to a figure in the classic film.

Issue is, Arj immediately realizes how the mogul's issues (tedious appointments, a pricey heating bill) prove negligible and easily solved using money. He further realizes how becoming rich opens up limitless opportunities for self-indulgent enjoyment. The character has zero interest in going back to his previous life, and the angel is unable to force Arj to return. Then, more bad news comes: For overstepping his duties and disrupting the balance of existence, Gabriel loses his position from his celestial role, and turned to a mortal.

The Discovery: Keanu Reeves Smiles

I was not persuaded by Reeves as an angel who has grand aspirations and a burning desire to effect change. He turns in the same somewhat constipated performance he has been offering for no less than the last 3 decades. Viewing Reeves in the role of angel that has just turned mortal for the first time, however, proved to be highly entertaining, due to something that really astonished me at first: This is something new for the actor. Or perhaps to be precise, an aspect from the past.

Soon during the character's baffling experience being a mortal, staying with the wealthy character (who Gabriel had swapped into the handyman's hand-to-mouth existence and jobless status), Gabriel starts tentatively trying out human experiences such as chewing and consuming meals. And Reeves grins. Genuinely, cautiously, happily smiles. (This is a lot more convincing than his grin shown in the poster, that looks digitally altered.)

The Reason This Smile Is Significant

The moment truly surprised me to recognize just how unexpected and refreshing the expression was. When did we last audiences saw Keanu Reeves smile in a movie where he was not showing ill will, irony, or bitterness? The actor likely tries it at some point in 2020's ill-conceived Bill & Ted Face the Music, however I am not returning to the disappointment to find out. Reeves has been stuck with serious, violent, broody, or just serious roles for so long that just seeing Reeves smile felt like observing an entirely different performer.

While the plot progresses, the character ends up having to take a kitchen job, which doesn't pay sufficient for survival, and he begins smoking heavily out of frustration. Simply the sight of the actor in a cheap plastic food-service cap, his recent signature locks tied in an unglamorous ponytail, leaning on a building and puffing on a smoke, is worthy of the price of admission. The kitchen worker getup completely changes his appearance and posture: Unexpectedly, the lean, well-dressed physical powerhouse of his famous films is gawky, ordinary, and much increasingly relatable.

The Joy of Viewing Keanu Relax

The film isn't always enjoyable to view, especially when the director (who additionally wrote the screenplay) must find plausible explanations for {Ar