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Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, this fantasy comedy by actor Aziz Ansari, has been facing challenges in theaters. Several factors could explain the film's reception: Its uninspired name doesn't convey its movie's unique charm. Its script is often moralizing and heavy-handed regarding the themes. Its acting are flat and presentational, as if the cast were reading lines directly from the page. And, it arrives during an era marked by economic uncertainty and disparity, that may make viewers less receptive to a narrative that suggests rich people enjoy all the benefits while the poor possess spirit.

However, here's what the movie excels: The film is original, daring, imaginative, frequently humorous, and undoubtedly timely. Plus, it provides an unexpectedly great Keanu Reeves character-driven experience.

Reeves as an Angel: His Typical Performance

I have never regarded Keanu Reeves a strong actor. His flat speaking style and persistent expression of mild perturbation have consistently felt limited, despite the wide range of roles he's played over the past four decades of his career. Astute directors have often cast him in parts in which his rigidity fits perfectly, including My Own Private Idaho to the sci-fi classic to John Wick. But almost all of those roles called for him to seem tough, closed-off, or detached.

In Good Fortune, Reeves plays an angel, a minor protecting angel tasked with looking after individuals that use their phones while behind the wheel. His entire duty involves sitting in his cars and lightly touching the drivers' arms when they are close to have an accident, warning the person so the driver stop in time. But, when positioned high above the city, gazing on the mortal world similar to a version of a celestial figure from the director's renowned film the angel story, the character gets ambitious. Gabriel desires to become an exceptional guardian and rescuer of wayward individuals.

The Surprising Shift: Reeves as a Mortal

Therefore, he reveals his presence to down-and-out handyman a character (portrayed by the director), who is living out of a vehicle and resenting his life. Gabriel then exchanges the man into the existence of extremely rich businessman a character (acted by the comedian). The idea of the exercise is for Arj to realize Jeff's existence comes with major downsides, and thankfully go back to his original circumstances, much like the figure from It's a Wonderful Life.

Issue is, Arj immediately realizes that the mogul's problems (boring appointments, a pricey heating bill) are negligible and easily solved with wealth. He also realizes that becoming affluent opens up endless chances for pleasurable fun. He has no interest in going back to his previous life, and Gabriel can't compel Arj to return. Subsequently, more bad news arrives: Because of exceeding his mandate and messing with the balance of existence, the character is fired from his celestial job, and transformed into a mortal.

A Discovery: Keanu Reeves Smiles

Personally, I remained never convinced by Reeves as an celestial being with grand dreams and an intense wish to make a difference. Reeves delivers a familiar vaguely stiff performance he's been providing for no less than the past 3 ten-year periods. Viewing Reeves in the role of celestial being that has just become human initially, however, proved to be a blast, due to something which really surprised me initially: It's an element new for the actor. Or more accurately, an aspect from the past.

Early during his confusing experience as a mortal, staying with Jeff (who Gabriel exchanged with Arj's hand-to-mouth life and underemployed situation), Gabriel begins tentatively trying out human activities like eating and consuming meals. Then the actor smiles. Authentically, cautiously, happily smiles. (It's a lot more convincing than the grin shown in the poster, that looks digitally altered.)

Why That Grin Is Significant

The moment really took me aback to recognize how unexpected and refreshing that expression was. At what point was the last time audiences saw Keanu Reeves grin in a movie in which he was not showing ill will, irony, or resentment? The actor likely attempts it at some point in the recent ill-conceived Bill & Ted Face the Music, however I am not going to returning to that mess to find out. Reeves has been typecast with serious, violent, broody, or just serious roles for such a duration that just watching him grin felt like observing a completely different performer.

As the plot goes on, Gabriel ends up having to get a dishwashing job, a role that fails to provide enough for survival, and he begins smoking heavily due to frustration. Just the sight of Reeves in a cheap plastic restaurant cap, his late-career trademark locks tied in a plain ponytail, slouching against a wall and puffing on a cigarette, is worthy of watching. The kitchen worker getup totally changes his face and posture: Suddenly, the slim, well-dressed action star of the John Wick movies becomes awkward, unglamorous, and much increasingly human.

The Pleasure of Watching Keanu Relax

Good Fortune is not always enjoyable to watch, particularly when Ansari (that also wrote the screenplay) has to create believable explanations for {Ar