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Good Fortune, the fantasy film by actor Aziz Ansari, has been facing challenges at the box office. Several reasons could explain its performance: Its uninspired name fails to express its film's distinctive charm. The script can be moralizing and heavy-handed regarding its messages. Its acting are flat and presentational, like the actors were reading dialogue straight from a script. And, it arrives at a time of financial uncertainty and disparity, that may render audiences less receptive to a narrative that implies rich individuals have all the advantages while those in need have heart.

But, this is what Good Fortune stands out: The film is unique, bold, imaginative, frequently humorous, and undoubtedly timely. And, it provides a enjoyable Keanu Reeves character-driven movie.

Reeves as an Angel: A Familiar Portrayal

I have never regarded Reeves a strong performer. The actor's monotonal delivery and persistent look of slight perturbation has always felt limited, despite his broad variety of characters he's taken on during the past 40 of his career. Smart filmmakers have cast Reeves in roles where his stoic nature works perfectly, including his early work to The Matrix to John Wick. Yet almost all of those roles required Reeves to seem hardened, distant, or detached.

In Good Fortune, the actor portrays Gabriel, a minor protecting angel assigned with looking after individuals that use their phones when behind the wheel. His whole job is remaining in their vehicles and lightly touching the drivers' arms as they are about to crash, warning the person in order that the driver stop in time. But, when positioned overlooking his domain, gazing on humanity like a version of the angel in Wim Wenders' classic film Wings of Desire, the character becomes ambitious. Gabriel wants to be an exceptional guardian and a savior of lost souls.

The Surprising Turn: Reeves Playing a Human

Therefore, he presents himself to struggling handyman Arj (portrayed by Aziz Ansari), who's living out of a vehicle and cursing his life. The angel then exchanges the man into the life of stupidly wealthy businessman Jeff (played by Seth Rogen). This idea behind the exercise was for Arj to understand the wealthy man's existence has major drawbacks, and gratefully go back to his own circumstances, similar to a character in It's a Wonderful Life.

Problem was, the character immediately discovers that Jeff's problems (tedious meetings, a pricey heating bill) are negligible and easily solved with wealth. He also sees how being rich opens up limitless chances for pleasurable fun. The character shows no interest in returning to his own life, and Gabriel is unable to force Arj to go back. Subsequently, more bad news comes: For overstepping his duties and messing with the balance of the world, the character loses his position from his angel job, and turned into a mortal.

The Discovery: Keanu Reeves Grins

Personally, I remained never persuaded by the actor playing an angel who has grand dreams and an intense desire to effect change. He delivers the same vaguely stiff acting he has consistently providing for at least the past three decades. Viewing Reeves in the role of angel who's recently turned mortal initially, on the other hand, was highly entertaining, due to something that really astonished viewers at first: This is something new for Reeves. Or perhaps to be precise, something from the past.

Early during the character's confusing career being a human, staying with the wealthy character (who the angel exchanged with Arj's precarious existence and jobless situation), the character begins hesitantly experimenting with human experiences such as chewing and swallowing food. Then the actor grins. Genuinely, cautiously, happily beams. (It's far more convincing than the smile shown in the poster, which appears artificially added.)

The Reason This Smile Matters

It really surprised me to realize just how unexpected and welcome the expression was. At what point was the last time we observed the actor grin in a movie where he was not expressing ill will, sarcasm, or resentment? The actor probably tries it somewhere in the recent ill-conceived the sequel, however I'm not going to returning to that disappointment to confirm. Reeves has been stuck with grim, violent, broody, or simply solemn roles for such a duration that merely seeing Reeves smile felt like seeing an entirely different performer.

While the story progresses, the character finds himself having to get a dishwashing position, which doesn't pay sufficient for survival, and Gabriel begins smoking heavily out of frustration. Simply the sight of the actor in a disposable plastic restaurant cap, his recent trademark long hair tied in an unglamorous ponytail, slouching against a building and puffing on a smoke, proves worth watching. The dishwasher attire completely alters his appearance and posture: Suddenly, the lean, well-dressed action star of the John Wick movies becomes gawky, ordinary, and much more human.

The Pleasure of Viewing Keanu Loosen Up

The film isn't consistently enjoyable to view, particularly when the director (that additionally wrote the screenplay) must create plausible reasons for {Ar