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Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, the fantasy film from comedian the director, has been struggling in theaters. Several factors could account for its performance: Its generic title doesn't convey the movie's distinctive appeal. The script is often moralizing and obvious with its themes. The performances seem uninspired and presentational, as if the cast were reciting dialogue straight from a script. And, the film comes at a time marked by financial anxiety and inequality, which may render audiences not very receptive to a story that implies rich people enjoy every benefits while the poor have spirit.

However, this is where Good Fortune stands out: The film is unique, daring, creative, frequently funny, and certainly timely. And, it provides a great Keanu Reeves hangout movie.

Keanu Reeves in the role of Guardian: His Typical Performance

Personally, I've not considered Reeves a good actor. The actor's flat delivery and consistent expression of slight concern has always felt one-note, regardless of his broad range of roles he has taken on during the last four decades of his career. Smart directors have often placed Reeves in roles in which that stoic nature fits perfectly, from his early work to the sci-fi classic to John Wick. But nearly every one of those characters called for him to appear hardened, distant, and removed.

In Good Fortune, the actor portrays Gabriel, one low-level protecting celestial being tasked with looking after people who text when driving. His whole job is remaining in his vehicles and lightly touching the drivers' shoulders as they're about to have an accident, warning them so the driver stop before impact. But, while positioned high above the city, gazing on the mortal world like a version of the angel in the director's classic film the angel story, Gabriel becomes ambitious. He desires to be a great protector and rescuer of wayward individuals.

A Surprising Shift: Keanu Playing a Mortal

So, he reveals his presence to down-and-out handyman Arj (portrayed by the director), who's living out of his car and resenting his situation. Gabriel then exchanges the man with the existence of stupidly rich tech mogul Jeff (played by the comedian). The idea of the exercise is for the character would understand the wealthy man's existence has significant downsides, and gratefully go back to his own life, much like the figure in It's a Wonderful Life.

Issue is, the character right away discovers how the mogul's issues (boring meetings, expensive pool-heater bill) are negligible and easily resolved using wealth. He also realizes how being affluent provides endless chances for pleasurable enjoyment. The character has no interest in going back to his own life, and Gabriel can't force Arj to return. Subsequently, additional trouble arrives: For overstepping his duties and disrupting the balance of the world, the character loses his position from his celestial role, and turned to a mortal.

The Discovery: The Actor Grins

I was not persuaded by Reeves playing an celestial being who has big aspirations and an intense wish to effect change. Reeves turns in the same somewhat constipated acting he has been providing for at least the past 3 decades. Viewing him in the role of celestial being who's just turned mortal initially, however, proved to be a blast, due to something that really surprised viewers initially: It's something different for Reeves. Or more accurately, something from the past.

Early during his baffling career being a human, clinging to the wealthy character (who the angel had swapped into Arj's precarious existence and underemployed status), Gabriel starts hesitantly trying out human experiences such as eating and swallowing food. And the actor grins. Genuinely, hesitantly, happily smiles. (This is a lot much convincing than his grin shown in the poster, which appears artificially added.)

Why This Grin Is Significant

It truly surprised me to recognize just how surprising and welcome that smile was. When did we last audiences observed Keanu Reeves grin in a movie in which he wasn't expressing malice, irony, or bitterness? He likely attempts it at some point in the recent ill-conceived Bill & Ted Face the Music, however I am not revisiting the mess to find out. Reeves has been typecast with serious, violent, broody, or just serious roles for so long that merely seeing Reeves grin seemed like seeing a completely different actor.

As the story goes on, Gabriel ends up having to take a dishwashing job, which doesn't pay sufficient for survival, and he begins smoking heavily out of disappointment. Simply the sight of the actor in a disposable paper food-service hat, his late-career signature long hair tied in a plain bun, leaning against a building and smoking a cigarette, is worth the price of admission. The kitchen worker attire completely alters his face and body: Unexpectedly, the slim, well-dressed physical powerhouse of the John Wick films becomes gawky, ordinary, and much increasingly human.

The Pleasure of Viewing Reeves Loosen Up

The film is not always fun to watch, particularly when Ansari (that additionally wrote the screenplay) has to find plausible reasons for {Ar