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Good Fortune, the fantasy comedy from actor Aziz Ansari, has been facing challenges in theaters. Many factors may explain the film's reception: Its generic title fails to convey the movie's unique charm. Its screenplay can be preachy and heavy-handed with the themes. Its acting seem flat and staged, like the actors are reading lines directly from the page. Moreover, the film comes at a time marked by financial uncertainty and inequality, that could make audiences not very receptive to a narrative that suggests wealthy people have every benefits while those in need possess spirit.

However, here's where the movie excels: The film is original, bold, creative, frequently funny, and undoubtedly relevant. Plus, it provides a great the actor hangout movie.

Reeves in the role of Angel: His Typical Performance

I have not regarded Keanu Reeves a good actor. The actor's monotonal delivery and persistent look of mild concern have consistently felt one-note, regardless of the wide variety of roles he's taken on over the past 40 years. Astute filmmakers have often placed him in parts in which his stoic nature works perfectly, including his early work to The Matrix to the action series. Yet nearly all of these characters required Reeves to appear hardened, distant, or removed.

In Good Fortune, the actor portrays an angel, a low-level protecting celestial being tasked with looking after individuals who text while behind the wheel. His whole job is sitting in his vehicles and gently touching their arms as they are about to crash, alerting the person in order that the driver stop in time. However, while standing overlooking his domain, gazing on the mortal world similar to an alternative interpretation of the angel from Wim Wenders' classic film Wings of Desire, the character becomes aspirational. He desires to be an exceptional protector and a savior of lost individuals.

A Surprising Turn: Keanu Playing a Mortal

So, he reveals his presence to struggling handyman Arj (played by the director), who is residing in a vehicle and resenting his life. Gabriel then exchanges the man with the life of stupidly wealthy tech mogul Jeff (acted by Seth Rogen). The idea behind the exercise was that Arj to realize the wealthy man's existence has major drawbacks, and gratefully go back to his original circumstances, much like the figure in the classic film.

Problem is, the character right away realizes that Jeff's issues (tedious appointments, expensive heating invoice) prove negligible and readily solved with money. Arj further sees that becoming rich opens up endless opportunities for self-indulgent fun. The character has no desire in returning to his own situation, and the angel can't force him to return. Then, more trouble arrives: Because of overstepping his mandate and messing with the order of the world, Gabriel loses his position from his celestial job, and turned to a mortal.

The Revelation: The Actor Grins

Personally, I remained not persuaded by Reeves as an celestial being who has grand dreams and an intense wish to make a difference. He delivers the same vaguely constipated acting he has been offering for no less than the last 3 decades. Viewing Reeves in the role of angel that has just become mortal for the first time, however, proved to be highly entertaining, for a reason that really astonished viewers initially: It's an element new for Reeves. Or more accurately, something old.

Early into his confusing career as a mortal, staying with the wealthy character (whom the angel exchanged with the handyman's hand-to-mouth existence and underemployed status), the character starts hesitantly experimenting with everyday experiences like chewing and consuming meals. Then the actor smiles. Genuinely, cautiously, joyously smiles. (This is a lot more convincing than his smile shown in the promotional image, that looks digitally altered.)

Why That Grin Is Significant

The moment truly took me aback to realize just how unexpected and refreshing that expression was. At what point was the last time audiences observed the actor smile in a movie in which he was not showing ill will, sarcasm, or bitterness? He probably attempts a smile somewhere in 2020's misbegotten the sequel, but I'm not going to revisiting that mess to confirm. The actor has remained stuck with serious, violent, introspective, or just solemn roles for such a duration that just seeing him smile seemed like seeing a completely new performer.

While the story progresses, the character finds himself having to take a dishwashing job, a role that fails to provide sufficient for survival, and Gabriel starts chain-smoking due to disappointment. Just the sight of Reeves in a cheap plastic food-service hat, with his late-career signature long hair pulled back in an unglamorous ponytail, leaning on a building and smoking a cigarette, proves worthy of the price of admission. The dishwasher getup totally alters his appearance and posture: Unexpectedly, the slim, suited action star of the John Wick movies becomes gawky, ordinary, and a lot increasingly human.

A Joy of Watching Reeves Relax

The film isn't consistently enjoyable to view, particularly when Ansari (who additionally wrote the screenplay) has to find believable reasons for {Ar