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Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, this fantasy comedy by actor Aziz Ansari, is facing challenges in theaters. Many factors could account for the film's performance: The generic title fails to express its movie's distinctive charm. Its screenplay can be moralizing and heavy-handed regarding its themes. Its acting are flat and presentational, as if the actors are reading dialogue straight from the page. And, the film comes at a time of economic uncertainty and disparity, which may make audiences less open to a story that suggests rich individuals enjoy every benefits while those in need have heart.

But, this is what Good Fortune stands out: It's unique, bold, imaginative, often humorous, and certainly timely. And, it offers an unexpectedly enjoyable Keanu Reeves hangout movie.

Reeves in the role of Angel: His Typical Portrayal

I have never regarded Keanu Reeves a strong actor. The actor's monotonal speaking style and consistent look of slight concern have always felt limited, despite his wide variety of characters he's taken on over the past 40 years. Smart filmmakers have placed Reeves in roles in which that stoic nature works ideally, including My Own Private Idaho to The Matrix to John Wick. But almost all of these characters required Reeves to appear hardened, distant, or detached.

In Good Fortune, Reeves portrays Gabriel, a low-level protecting celestial being tasked with watching over people who text when behind the wheel. The character's whole job involves sitting in their vehicles and gently making contact with their shoulders as they're close to crash, alerting the person so they brake before impact. However, when positioned high above his domain, looking down on humanity similar to a version of the angel in the director's renowned film Wings of Desire, the character gets aspirational. Gabriel wants to be a great protector and rescuer of lost souls.

The Unexpected Turn: Reeves Playing a Human

So, he reveals his presence to struggling handyman Arj (portrayed by the director), who's residing out of a vehicle and cursing his life. The angel then exchanges Arj with the life of stupidly rich businessman a character (acted by the comedian). The idea behind the experiment was that the character to understand the wealthy man's existence has significant drawbacks, and gratefully return to his own life, much like the character from the classic film.

Issue was, Arj right away realizes that Jeff's problems (tedious meetings, expensive pool-heater invoice) are negligible and easily solved with money. He also sees how being affluent opens up limitless opportunities for pleasurable enjoyment. The character shows zero desire in going back to his own situation, and Gabriel is unable to force Arj to go back. Then, additional bad news comes: For overstepping his mandate and messing with the balance of existence, the character is fired from his angel role, and turned into a mortal.

A Revelation: Keanu Reeves Grins

Personally, I remained never persuaded by Reeves as an angel who has grand dreams and a burning desire to make a difference. He turns in a familiar somewhat stiff performance he has been providing for at least the past 3 ten-year periods. Viewing him as an celestial being that has recently turned human initially, however, was highly entertaining, due to something which really surprised me at first: This is an element new for Reeves. Or perhaps to be precise, an aspect old.

Soon during his confusing experience being a mortal, staying with the wealthy character (who Gabriel exchanged with Arj's hand-to-mouth existence and underemployed status), Gabriel begins hesitantly experimenting with everyday experiences such as chewing and swallowing food. And Reeves grins. Genuinely, hesitantly, happily beams. (This is a lot more believable than the grin shown in the poster, which appears digitally altered.)

The Reason That Smile Matters

The moment truly surprised me to recognize just how unexpected and refreshing the smile felt. At what point did we last we observed the actor grin in a movie in which he wasn't expressing malice, irony, or bitterness? He probably attempts a smile somewhere in the recent ill-conceived Bill & Ted Face the Music, however I'm not going to returning to that disappointment to find out. Reeves has remained stuck with grim, murderous, introspective, or simply serious roles for such a duration that merely watching him smile seemed like seeing a completely different performer.

As the plot goes on, Gabriel ends up needing to get a dishwashing job, a role that doesn't pay enough to live on, and he starts chain-smoking out of disappointment. Simply the sight of the actor in a disposable paper restaurant hat, with his late-career trademark long hair pulled back in an unglamorous ponytail, slouching on a wall and puffing on a cigarette, proves worth the price of admission. His dishwasher getup totally alters his face and posture: Unexpectedly, the slim, suited action star of his famous movies is gawky, ordinary, and a lot increasingly relatable.

A Pleasure of Viewing Reeves Loosen Up

The film is not always enjoyable to view, particularly when the director (who also wrote the script) has to find plausible explanations for {Ar