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Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, this whimsical film from actor the director, is facing challenges at the box office. Many reasons may account for the film's reception: Its uninspired title doesn't convey its film's distinctive charm. Its script can be preachy and obvious regarding the messages. Its performances are uninspired and staged, like the cast are reciting dialogue directly from a script. And, it arrives during an era marked by financial anxiety and inequality, which could make viewers less receptive to a story which implies wealthy individuals have all the advantages while those in need have heart.

However, this is what Good Fortune excels: It's original, daring, creative, frequently humorous, and certainly timely. And, it offers an unexpectedly great Keanu Reeves hangout experience.

Reeves in the role of Guardian: A Familiar Performance

I have never considered Reeves a strong performer. His monotonal speaking style and persistent look of mild perturbation has always seemed one-note, despite the wide variety of characters he's taken on during the last four decades years. Astute filmmakers have often cast Reeves in parts in which his stoic nature works perfectly, including his early work to The Matrix to the action series. Yet almost every one of these roles called for Reeves to seem tough, closed-off, and detached.

Throughout Good Fortune, Reeves portrays an angel, one low-level guardian angel tasked with looking after individuals who text when driving. The character's entire duty involves sitting in their cars and gently making contact with their shoulders when they're about to have an accident, alerting them in order that the driver brake before impact. However, when positioned overlooking the city, gazing upon humanity similar to an alternative version of the angel from Wim Wenders' classic movie the angel story, Gabriel gets ambitious. He wants to be a great guardian and rescuer of wayward souls.

The Unexpected Shift: Reeves as a Human

So, Gabriel reveals himself to struggling odd-jobber Arj (played by the director), who is living out of his car and cursing his life. The angel then exchanges the man with the life of stupidly rich tech mogul Jeff (acted by the comedian). The point of the exercise is for the character to understand the wealthy man's existence comes with significant downsides, and gratefully go back to his own circumstances, similar to a figure from the classic film.

Issue was, Arj right away realizes that the mogul's issues (boring meetings, expensive heating bill) prove minor and easily resolved with money. He also realizes that being affluent opens up limitless chances for self-indulgent fun. He has no interest in going back to his previous situation, and Gabriel can't compel him to return. Then, more bad news comes: For overstepping his duties and messing with the order of the world, Gabriel is fired as an angel job, and turned to a mortal.

The Revelation: The Actor Grins

Personally, I remained not convinced by the actor as an angel with grand aspirations and an intense desire to effect change. He delivers a familiar somewhat constipated acting he has been providing for at least the past three ten-year periods. Viewing Reeves as an celestial being who's just turned mortal initially, on the other hand, proved to be a blast, due to something that truly astonished viewers at first: It's something different for the actor. Or perhaps to be precise, something from the past.

Early during his confusing experience as a mortal, clinging to the wealthy character (whom Gabriel had swapped with Arj's hand-to-mouth life and underemployed situation), Gabriel starts hesitantly trying out everyday experiences such as eating and consuming meals. And Reeves grins. Genuinely, cautiously, joyously smiles. (It's far much believable than his grin shown in the promotional image, which looks artificially added.)

Why That Smile Is Significant

The moment really took me aback to recognize how surprising and welcome the expression felt. When was the last time audiences saw the actor grin in a film where he wasn't showing ill will, irony, or bitterness? He likely attempts a smile at some point in the recent misbegotten the sequel, but I am not returning to that disappointment to confirm. The actor has remained stuck with serious, violent, broody, or just solemn characters for such a duration that merely seeing him grin felt like seeing an entirely new performer.

While the story progresses, the character ends up having to take a dishwashing position, which doesn't pay enough for survival, and Gabriel begins smoking heavily due to frustration. Simply the image of Reeves in a cheap plastic food-service cap, his late-career signature long hair tied in an unglamorous bun, leaning against a building and smoking a cigarette, is worth the price of admission. His dishwasher getup totally alters his appearance and body: Unexpectedly, the slim, well-dressed physical powerhouse of the John Wick movies becomes awkward, ordinary, and a lot more human.

A Joy of Watching Keanu Relax

The film is not consistently fun to watch, particularly when the director (who additionally wrote the screenplay) must create believable explanations for {Ar