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Good Fortune, the whimsical comedy from comedian Aziz Ansari, has been facing challenges in theaters. Many factors could account for its reception: Its uninspired name doesn't convey the film's unique charm. Its screenplay is often preachy and obvious with its themes. Its performances seem flat and staged, like the actors are reciting dialogue straight from a script. And, it arrives at a time of economic anxiety and disparity, which could render viewers less open to a story that suggests wealthy people enjoy all the advantages while those in need have heart.

However, here's where the movie excels: It's unique, bold, creative, frequently humorous, and undoubtedly timely. Plus, it offers a great Keanu Reeves hangout movie.

Keanu Reeves as an Angel: His Typical Performance

Personally, I've never considered Reeves to be a good performer. His flat delivery and persistent expression of mild concern has always seemed limited, despite his broad variety of characters he's taken on during the past four decades years. Smart directors have placed him in roles where his rigidity works ideally, including My Own Private Idaho to The Matrix to John Wick. Yet almost every one of these characters called for Reeves to seem tough, distant, and detached.

In the film, the actor plays Gabriel, one low-level protecting angel tasked with watching over people that use their phones while behind the wheel. The character's entire job is sitting in his vehicles and gently making contact with the drivers' arms when they are about to have an accident, warning the person in order that they stop before impact. However, while positioned overlooking the city, gazing upon the mortal world like an alternative interpretation of the angel from the director's renowned movie the angel story, the character gets ambitious. He desires to become a great protector and rescuer of wayward individuals.

A Unexpected Turn: Reeves Playing a Human

So, he reveals his presence to struggling handyman a character (played by the director), who's residing in his car and cursing his life. The angel then exchanges the man with the life of extremely wealthy tech mogul a character (played by the comedian). The idea behind the exercise is that the character would understand Jeff's life comes with major drawbacks, and thankfully go back to his own life, much like a character from It's a Wonderful Life.

Issue was, Arj right away realizes how the mogul's problems (boring appointments, expensive heating invoice) prove minor and readily resolved using wealth. Arj also realizes that being rich provides limitless opportunities for pleasurable fun. He has no desire in going back to his own life, and Gabriel can't compel Arj to return. Subsequently, additional trouble comes: Because of exceeding his mandate and messing with the order of the world, the character loses his position as an angel role, and turned into a human being.

The Revelation: The Actor Smiles

Personally, I remained never persuaded by the actor playing an celestial being who has grand aspirations and a burning desire to make a difference. Reeves turns in the same somewhat stiff performance he's been offering for no less than the past 3 decades. Watching Reeves in the role of celestial being who's just turned mortal initially, on the other hand, proved to be highly entertaining, due to something that really astonished me at first: It's an element new for Reeves. Or to be precise, something old.

Early into his confusing career as a mortal, clinging to Jeff (whom Gabriel exchanged with the handyman's precarious life and underemployed situation), Gabriel begins tentatively experimenting with human activities like eating and swallowing food. And the actor grins. Authentically, cautiously, joyously smiles. (This is a lot much believable than his grin on the promotional image, which appears artificially added.)

The Reason That Smile Is Significant

It really took me aback to realize how unexpected and welcome the expression was. At what point did we last audiences saw the actor grin in a film where he wasn't expressing ill will, sarcasm, or resentment? The actor likely attempts it at some point in 2020's ill-conceived Bill & Ted Face the Music, but I'm not going to returning to that mess to find out. The actor has been typecast with serious, violent, broody, or just solemn characters for so long that just seeing Reeves smile felt like observing an entirely new performer.

While the story progresses, Gabriel ends up having to get a kitchen position, a role that doesn't pay enough to live on, and Gabriel begins smoking heavily due to disappointment. Simply the sight of the actor in a cheap paper restaurant hat, his recent signature locks pulled back in a plain bun, leaning on a wall and smoking a smoke, proves worthy of watching. The kitchen worker attire totally alters his appearance and body: Unexpectedly, the slim, suited physical powerhouse of the John Wick movies becomes gawky, unglamorous, and a lot increasingly human.

The Pleasure of Viewing Reeves Loosen Up

The film is not consistently fun to view, particularly when Ansari (who additionally wrote the script) must create plausible reasons for {Ar