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Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, this whimsical comedy by comedian the director, has been struggling at the box office. Several factors could explain the film's reception: Its uninspired name doesn't express the film's distinctive charm. The script is often preachy and obvious with the themes. Its performances are uninspired and staged, as if the cast were reading lines directly from the page. Moreover, the film comes at a time marked by financial anxiety and disparity, that could render audiences less receptive to a narrative which suggests wealthy people have every advantages while the poor possess heart.

But, here's where the movie excels: The film is original, daring, imaginative, often humorous, and certainly timely. And, it offers a enjoyable Keanu Reeves character-driven movie.

Reeves as an Guardian: His Typical Performance

Personally, I've never considered Keanu Reeves to be a strong performer. The actor's monotonal delivery and consistent look of slight concern has consistently seemed limited, despite his wide range of characters he has played during the last four decades years. Smart directors have often placed him in roles in which his rigidity works perfectly, from My Own Private Idaho to The Matrix to the action series. Yet nearly all of these roles required him to appear hardened, closed-off, and detached.

In Good Fortune, Reeves plays an angel, a low-level protecting celestial being tasked with looking after individuals who use their phones while driving. His entire job involves sitting in his vehicles and lightly touching their shoulders as they're close to crash, warning them so they stop in time. However, while positioned overlooking his domain, looking down on the mortal world similar to an alternative version of the angel in Wim Wenders' classic movie Wings of Desire, Gabriel gets aspirational. Gabriel desires to be a great protector and rescuer of wayward individuals.

The Surprising Turn: Keanu as a Human

Therefore, Gabriel reveals himself to struggling odd-jobber a character (played by the director), who's living out of a vehicle and resenting his situation. Gabriel proceeds to exchanges Arj with the life of extremely wealthy tech mogul a character (played by Seth Rogen). This idea of the exercise was for Arj to realize Jeff's existence comes with significant downsides, and thankfully return to his own life, much like a character in the classic film.

Issue is, the character immediately discovers that Jeff's issues (boring meetings, a pricey heating bill) are negligible and easily solved with money. Arj further realizes that being affluent opens up endless chances for pleasurable fun. The character shows no desire in going back to his previous life, and Gabriel can't force him to return. Subsequently, additional trouble arrives: Because of overstepping his duties and messing with the balance of the world, the character is fired as an celestial job, and transformed into a human being.

A Revelation: Keanu Reeves Grins

Personally, I remained never convinced by Reeves playing an angel who has grand aspirations and an intense wish to make a difference. He turns in a familiar somewhat constipated performance he's consistently providing for at least the past three ten-year periods. Viewing Reeves as an celestial being who's just become mortal for the first time, however, proved to be highly entertaining, due to something that really astonished me initially: This is something different for Reeves. Or more accurately, an aspect from the past.

Soon during the character's confusing experience as a mortal, clinging to Jeff (whom the angel exchanged with the handyman's hand-to-mouth existence and jobless situation), the character begins tentatively trying out everyday activities like chewing and consuming meals. Then Reeves grins. Genuinely, cautiously, happily beams. (It's a lot much believable than his smile on the promotional image, which appears artificially added.)

The Reason This Grin Matters

The moment really took me aback to recognize just how surprising and refreshing that smile was. At what point did we last we saw the actor smile in a movie where he was not expressing ill will, sarcasm, or resentment? The actor probably tries it at some point in the recent ill-conceived the sequel, however I am not returning to that mess to confirm. The actor has remained typecast with grim, violent, introspective, or simply serious characters for so long that merely watching Reeves smile felt like observing a completely new actor.

While the plot progresses, Gabriel finds himself needing to take a dishwashing job, a role that fails to provide enough to live on, and Gabriel starts smoking heavily due to frustration. Just the sight of the actor in a cheap paper restaurant hat, his late-career signature locks tied in an unglamorous ponytail, leaning on a building and puffing on a cigarette, is worthy of watching. His dishwasher getup completely changes his face and posture: Suddenly, the lean, suited action star of his famous movies is gawky, unglamorous, and much increasingly human.

The Pleasure of Viewing Keanu Loosen Up

Good Fortune is not consistently enjoyable to watch, particularly when Ansari (who also wrote the script) has to find believable explanations for {Ar