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Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, the whimsical comedy by actor the director, is struggling at the box office. Several factors may account for its performance: Its uninspired name fails to express the movie's unique appeal. The screenplay can be preachy and heavy-handed regarding its messages. Its performances are uninspired and staged, like the cast are reading lines directly from the page. And, it arrives at a time marked by financial anxiety and inequality, which may make viewers less receptive to a story that implies wealthy individuals enjoy all the advantages while the poor possess spirit.

However, here's what Good Fortune stands out: The film is unique, daring, creative, frequently funny, and undoubtedly relevant. And, it offers an unexpectedly enjoyable the actor hangout movie.

Reeves as an Guardian: A Familiar Performance

I have never considered Reeves to be a strong performer. His flat delivery and consistent expression of slight concern have consistently felt one-note, regardless of his broad variety of roles he's taken on during the past 40 years. Smart directors have often cast him in parts where his stoic nature works perfectly, from My Own Private Idaho to the sci-fi classic to the action series. But nearly every one of those characters required him to seem hardened, closed-off, and removed.

In Good Fortune, Reeves portrays Gabriel, one low-level protecting angel assigned with looking after people that use their phones while behind the wheel. His whole job involves sitting in his cars and gently making contact with the drivers' arms when they're close to have an accident, warning them in order that the driver stop in time. But, while positioned overlooking the city, gazing upon humanity similar to an alternative version of a celestial figure from the director's renowned film the angel story, Gabriel becomes aspirational. Gabriel wants to become an exceptional guardian and rescuer of lost souls.

A Surprising Shift: Reeves as a Mortal

Therefore, Gabriel presents himself to struggling odd-jobber a character (played by Aziz Ansari), who is residing out of a vehicle and cursing his life. Gabriel then swaps Arj with the existence of stupidly rich businessman a character (acted by the comedian). This point of the experiment was for the character to understand the wealthy man's existence comes with major downsides, and gratefully return to his own life, much like a figure from It's a Wonderful Life.

Problem is, Arj immediately realizes how Jeff's issues (tedious appointments, a pricey pool-heater invoice) are minor and readily resolved using wealth. Arj further realizes that becoming rich provides limitless chances for pleasurable fun. He shows no interest in returning to his previous life, and Gabriel can't force him to return. Subsequently, more bad news arrives: For exceeding his mandate and messing with the balance of the world, the character is fired from his celestial job, and turned to a human being.

The Revelation: Keanu Reeves Grins

Personally, I remained not convinced by the actor playing an celestial being with grand aspirations and an intense desire to make a difference. Reeves turns in a familiar vaguely stiff performance he has been providing for at least the past three decades. Viewing him in the role of angel who's recently turned human for the first time, on the other hand, proved to be highly entertaining, for a reason which really astonished viewers initially: It's an element new for the actor. Or to be precise, an aspect old.

Soon during his baffling career being a mortal, staying with Jeff (whom the angel exchanged into Arj's hand-to-mouth life and underemployed situation), Gabriel begins hesitantly experimenting with human experiences like eating and consuming food. And the actor smiles. Genuinely, hesitantly, joyously beams. (This is a lot much believable than the smile on the poster, which appears digitally altered.)

The Reason That Smile Is Significant

It really took me aback to recognize just how unexpected and refreshing the expression was. At what point was the last time audiences saw Keanu Reeves grin in a film where he wasn't expressing malice, irony, or resentment? He likely attempts it at some point in 2020's misbegotten the sequel, but I'm not returning to the disappointment to confirm. Reeves has been typecast with grim, violent, introspective, or just serious characters for such a duration that merely watching him grin seemed like observing a completely different actor.

As the plot goes on, Gabriel finds himself needing to take a kitchen job, which doesn't pay enough to live on, and he begins smoking heavily out of frustration. Just the sight of Reeves in a cheap plastic food-service cap, with his recent signature locks tied in an unglamorous ponytail, slouching against a building and smoking a cigarette, is worth the price of admission. His kitchen worker getup completely alters his face and body: Suddenly, the slim, suited physical powerhouse of the John Wick movies is gawky, unglamorous, and a lot increasingly human.

The Joy of Watching Keanu Loosen Up

Good Fortune isn't consistently fun to watch, especially when the director (that also authored the screenplay) has to find plausible explanations for {Ar