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Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, this fantasy film by actor Aziz Ansari, is facing challenges at the box office. Many factors could explain its performance: The generic name doesn't express the movie's unique appeal. The screenplay can be preachy and heavy-handed with the messages. The performances are uninspired and staged, as if the cast were reading lines straight from the page. And, the film comes at a time of economic anxiety and inequality, which may render audiences less receptive to a story which implies wealthy people enjoy every benefits while the poor possess spirit.

However, here's where the movie excels: It's unique, daring, creative, often humorous, and certainly timely. And, it provides a enjoyable Keanu Reeves hangout movie.

Keanu Reeves as an Guardian: His Typical Portrayal

I have not considered Reeves a strong performer. His flat speaking style and persistent look of mild perturbation has always seemed one-note, regardless of the broad variety of roles he has taken on over the last four decades of his career. Smart directors have cast him in parts where his rigidity works ideally, from My Own Private Idaho to the sci-fi classic to John Wick. Yet almost all of those roles called for Reeves to seem hardened, closed-off, and detached.

Throughout Good Fortune, Reeves plays an angel, a low-level protecting angel tasked with watching over people that use their phones when behind the wheel. The character's entire duty involves sitting in his vehicles and lightly making contact with their arms as they're about to have an accident, alerting them in order that the driver brake in time. But, when standing high above the city, looking down upon humanity similar to a interpretation of the angel from Wim Wenders' classic film Wings of Desire, the character gets aspirational. Gabriel desires to become a great protector and rescuer of lost souls.

The Unexpected Turn: Keanu as a Human

Therefore, Gabriel presents himself to down-and-out odd-jobber a character (played by the director), who's residing in a vehicle and cursing his situation. The angel proceeds to exchanges the man into the existence of stupidly rich tech mogul a character (acted by Seth Rogen). This point of the exercise is that the character would realize the wealthy man's life has major downsides, and gratefully go back to his original life, similar to a figure in the classic film.

Issue was, Arj right away discovers how Jeff's issues (tedious appointments, expensive heating invoice) are negligible and readily resolved using money. Arj also sees how being rich opens up limitless chances for pleasurable enjoyment. The character has no interest in returning to his own situation, and the angel is unable to compel him to return. Then, additional trouble comes: Because of exceeding his mandate and messing with the order of the world, the character is fired as an celestial job, and turned to a human being.

The Revelation: The Actor Smiles

Personally, I remained never convinced by Reeves playing an angel who has big aspirations and an intense wish to effect change. Reeves delivers the same vaguely stiff acting he has consistently providing for no less than the past three ten-year periods. Viewing Reeves as an celestial being that has just become human for the first time, however, proved to be highly entertaining, due to something which really astonished me initially: This is an element different for Reeves. Or to be precise, something from the past.

Soon into the character's baffling experience as a human, staying with Jeff (who the angel exchanged into Arj's hand-to-mouth life and underemployed situation), the character starts tentatively experimenting with everyday activities such as eating and swallowing meals. Then Reeves smiles. Genuinely, cautiously, joyously smiles. (It's a lot much believable than his smile on the promotional image, that appears artificially added.)

The Reason This Smile Is Significant

It truly surprised me to recognize how surprising and welcome the smile felt. At what point was the last time audiences saw the actor grin in a movie where he wasn't showing malice, sarcasm, or bitterness? The actor probably attempts a smile at some point in the recent misbegotten Bill & Ted Face the Music, but I'm not going to returning to the mess to find out. Reeves has been stuck with serious, violent, broody, or simply solemn characters for such a duration that merely seeing him grin felt like seeing an entirely different actor.

As the plot goes on, the character finds himself needing to get a dishwashing position, which fails to provide enough to live on, and he begins smoking heavily out of frustration. Just the sight of Reeves in a cheap paper restaurant cap, with his late-career trademark locks pulled back in an unglamorous bun, leaning against a wall and puffing on a smoke, proves worthy of the price of admission. The kitchen worker getup completely changes his face and body: Unexpectedly, the slim, suited action star of the John Wick films becomes awkward, ordinary, and a lot increasingly human.

The Joy of Viewing Keanu Loosen Up

Good Fortune isn't consistently fun to view, particularly when the director (that additionally wrote the screenplay) has to create believable explanations for {Ar