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Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, the fantasy comedy by actor the director, has been struggling in theaters. Many factors may explain the film's performance: Its uninspired name doesn't express the film's unique appeal. Its screenplay is often moralizing and obvious regarding the messages. The acting seem uninspired and staged, as if the actors are reciting dialogue straight from a script. Moreover, it arrives at a time marked by financial anxiety and inequality, which could make audiences less open to a story that suggests wealthy individuals enjoy every advantages while the poor possess heart.

However, here's where Good Fortune excels: The film is original, bold, creative, frequently funny, and undoubtedly timely. Plus, it offers a great the actor character-driven movie.

Keanu Reeves in the role of Guardian: A Familiar Performance

I have never considered Reeves a good performer. His flat speaking style and consistent expression of slight perturbation has consistently felt one-note, despite his broad variety of characters he's played during the last four decades years. Astute filmmakers have cast Reeves in roles in which that rigidity fits perfectly, including his early work to the sci-fi classic to John Wick. Yet almost all of those roles called for Reeves to seem hardened, closed-off, or detached.

In the film, Reeves portrays an angel, one low-level protecting angel tasked with watching over people that use their phones when driving. The character's whole job involves remaining in his vehicles and lightly touching their shoulders as they are about to crash, warning them in order that they brake before impact. However, while standing overlooking the city, looking down upon the mortal world like an alternative version of the angel from the director's classic film Wings of Desire, Gabriel gets aspirational. Gabriel desires to become a great protector and a savior of lost individuals.

A Unexpected Turn: Keanu Playing a Mortal

Therefore, Gabriel reveals himself to down-and-out odd-jobber a character (played by Aziz Ansari), who is living in his car and resenting his life. The angel then exchanges Arj with the existence of stupidly wealthy businessman a character (acted by Seth Rogen). This idea behind the experiment was that the character to understand Jeff's life has major downsides, and thankfully return to his original circumstances, much like the figure from It's a Wonderful Life.

Problem was, the character immediately realizes that the mogul's problems (tedious meetings, expensive pool-heater bill) are minor and readily resolved using wealth. Arj further realizes how being rich provides limitless chances for self-indulgent enjoyment. The character has zero desire in returning to his own situation, and Gabriel is unable to compel Arj to go back. Subsequently, more trouble comes: Because of exceeding his mandate and disrupting the balance of the world, Gabriel is fired from his angel job, and transformed into a mortal.

A Revelation: Keanu Reeves Smiles

I was not convinced by the actor playing an celestial being with big dreams and a burning desire to make a difference. He delivers the same somewhat stiff acting he's consistently offering for at least the last 3 decades. Watching Reeves in the role of celestial being that has recently become human initially, on the other hand, was highly entertaining, for a reason that really surprised me initially: This is an element different for Reeves. Or perhaps more accurately, something from the past.

Soon during the character's confusing experience as a mortal, clinging to the wealthy character (whom the angel exchanged with the handyman's precarious life and jobless situation), the character starts hesitantly trying out human experiences like chewing and swallowing meals. Then the actor grins. Authentically, cautiously, joyously smiles. (It's far more believable than the smile shown in the promotional image, which appears artificially added.)

The Reason This Grin Is Significant

It truly surprised me to realize how surprising and welcome the expression felt. At what point was the last time we saw Keanu Reeves smile in a movie where he was not showing ill will, irony, or bitterness? The actor probably tries a smile at some point in 2020's misbegotten Bill & Ted Face the Music, however I'm not returning to that mess to find out. The actor has been typecast with serious, murderous, introspective, or simply solemn characters for such a duration that merely watching him smile seemed like seeing a completely new actor.

As the plot goes on, the character finds himself needing to get a kitchen job, a role that doesn't pay enough to live on, and he begins chain-smoking out of frustration. Just the sight of Reeves in a cheap paper restaurant cap, his recent signature locks pulled back in an unglamorous bun, leaning on a building and smoking a smoke, is worthy of watching. The kitchen worker attire totally alters his appearance and posture: Suddenly, the lean, suited physical powerhouse of the John Wick films becomes awkward, ordinary, and much more human.

The Pleasure of Watching Reeves Relax

Good Fortune isn't consistently fun to watch, especially when the director (that additionally wrote the screenplay) must create plausible explanations for {Ar