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Good Fortune, this whimsical comedy from actor the director, has been struggling at the box office. Many factors may explain the film's performance: The generic name doesn't express the film's distinctive appeal. Its script can be moralizing and obvious regarding the themes. The performances seem uninspired and presentational, as if the actors were reading lines directly from the page. Moreover, the film comes at a time of financial uncertainty and disparity, that may make audiences not very receptive to a story that implies rich individuals have every advantages while those in need possess spirit.

However, here's where Good Fortune stands out: It's original, bold, creative, frequently funny, and undoubtedly timely. And, it offers an unexpectedly great Keanu Reeves hangout experience.

Reeves in the role of Guardian: A Familiar Performance

I have not considered Reeves a strong performer. His monotonal speaking style and persistent expression of mild perturbation have consistently seemed one-note, despite the wide range of characters he's played during the last four decades years. Smart directors have cast him in roles where that stoic nature works ideally, from My Own Private Idaho to the sci-fi classic to the action series. But almost every one of these roles called for him to seem hardened, distant, or detached.

Throughout Good Fortune, Reeves portrays an angel, one low-level protecting angel tasked with looking after people that use their phones when behind the wheel. The character's entire duty involves sitting in their cars and gently touching their arms when they're close to crash, warning them so they brake before impact. However, while positioned overlooking his domain, looking down on humanity similar to a version of a celestial figure in Wim Wenders' classic film the angel story, the character gets aspirational. He wants to be a great guardian and a savior of wayward souls.

A Surprising Shift: Reeves as a Human

Therefore, Gabriel presents his presence to down-and-out odd-jobber a character (played by Aziz Ansari), who's living out of his car and cursing his situation. Gabriel proceeds to swaps the man into the existence of stupidly wealthy tech mogul Jeff (acted by the comedian). This idea behind the experiment is that Arj would understand Jeff's life comes with major drawbacks, and gratefully return to his original circumstances, similar to a character from It's a Wonderful Life.

Problem was, the character right away discovers that Jeff's problems (boring meetings, a pricey heating bill) are negligible and readily resolved using wealth. Arj further sees how becoming rich provides endless opportunities for self-indulgent fun. The character shows zero desire in going back to his own situation, and the angel is unable to compel Arj to go back. Subsequently, additional trouble comes: Because of exceeding his duties and disrupting the balance of the world, Gabriel loses his position from his angel role, and transformed into a mortal.

A Discovery: Keanu Reeves Grins

Personally, I remained not persuaded by the actor playing an angel with big dreams and a burning desire to effect change. Reeves delivers a familiar somewhat constipated acting he's consistently offering for no less than the past three decades. Watching him in the role of celestial being who's recently become mortal for the first time, however, was a blast, for a reason which truly astonished me at first: This is an element new for Reeves. Or perhaps to be precise, something from the past.

Early into the character's confusing career as a mortal, clinging to the wealthy character (who Gabriel exchanged into the handyman's hand-to-mouth existence and underemployed situation), Gabriel begins tentatively experimenting with everyday experiences such as chewing and swallowing meals. And the actor grins. Genuinely, cautiously, happily beams. (This is far more convincing than the grin on the promotional image, that looks artificially added.)

Why That Grin Matters

It really surprised me to realize how surprising and welcome that smile was. At what point did we last we observed the actor smile in a movie in which he was not expressing malice, irony, or bitterness? The actor likely attempts a smile at some point in 2020's misbegotten the sequel, but I am not going to revisiting that disappointment to confirm. Reeves has remained typecast with grim, violent, broody, or simply serious roles for so long that merely seeing him grin seemed like observing an entirely different actor.

As the story progresses, Gabriel finds himself having to get a kitchen job, which fails to provide sufficient for survival, and he begins smoking heavily out of frustration. Simply the sight of Reeves in a disposable paper restaurant cap, his late-career trademark long hair pulled back in a plain ponytail, leaning on a wall and smoking a cigarette, is worth watching. The dishwasher attire totally changes his appearance and posture: Suddenly, the slim, suited action star of his famous movies becomes gawky, ordinary, and a lot more human.

The Pleasure of Viewing Reeves Loosen Up

The film isn't always enjoyable to watch, especially when Ansari (that additionally authored the script) has to create believable reasons for {Ar