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Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, this fantasy film by actor the director, is struggling at the box office. Many reasons could account for its performance: Its uninspired title doesn't convey its movie's distinctive appeal. Its script can be moralizing and heavy-handed with the themes. Its performances are flat and staged, like the actors were reciting dialogue straight from a script. And, it arrives during an era marked by economic uncertainty and disparity, which could render audiences less receptive to a narrative that suggests wealthy people enjoy all the benefits while those in need possess spirit.

But, here's what the movie excels: The film is original, bold, imaginative, frequently humorous, and undoubtedly relevant. Plus, it provides an unexpectedly great the actor character-driven experience.

Reeves as an Angel: A Familiar Portrayal

Personally, I've never regarded Reeves a good actor. The actor's flat delivery and persistent expression of mild perturbation has always felt limited, despite his broad range of characters he has taken on during the last 40 years. Astute directors have often placed Reeves in roles where his rigidity works ideally, from his early work to the sci-fi classic to John Wick. But almost all of these roles required Reeves to seem tough, closed-off, or detached.

In Good Fortune, the actor portrays an angel, a low-level guardian celestial being assigned with watching over individuals that use their phones while behind the wheel. His whole job is remaining in his vehicles and lightly touching their shoulders when they are close to crash, warning them in order that the driver stop before impact. But, while standing high above his domain, gazing upon the mortal world like a version of the angel in Wim Wenders' renowned movie Wings of Desire, the character becomes ambitious. Gabriel desires to be a great guardian and a savior of wayward souls.

The Unexpected Shift: Reeves as a Mortal

Therefore, he presents his presence to down-and-out handyman a character (portrayed by Aziz Ansari), who is residing in a vehicle and resenting his situation. The angel proceeds to swaps the man with the existence of stupidly rich businessman Jeff (acted by Seth Rogen). The point behind the exercise is that Arj to understand Jeff's life comes with significant drawbacks, and gratefully return to his original circumstances, similar to the figure from the classic film.

Issue is, Arj immediately discovers that the mogul's issues (tedious meetings, expensive heating invoice) prove negligible and readily resolved with wealth. Arj further sees how becoming rich opens up endless opportunities for pleasurable fun. The character shows no desire in returning to his previous situation, and the angel is unable to compel Arj to return. Then, additional bad news arrives: For overstepping his mandate and disrupting the balance of the world, the character is fired from his angel role, and transformed to a human being.

The Revelation: Keanu Reeves Smiles

Personally, I remained not persuaded by Reeves as an angel who has big aspirations and an intense desire to effect change. He turns in a familiar somewhat stiff performance he's been providing for no less than the past three ten-year periods. Watching Reeves in the role of celestial being who's just turned mortal initially, however, was a blast, due to something which really astonished me at first: This is something new for the actor. Or perhaps to be precise, something old.

Soon into his confusing experience as a mortal, clinging to Jeff (who the angel exchanged into the handyman's precarious existence and underemployed status), Gabriel begins tentatively experimenting with everyday activities like eating and consuming meals. And the actor grins. Authentically, hesitantly, joyously smiles. (This is a lot much convincing than the grin shown in the poster, that looks digitally altered.)

The Reason This Grin Is Significant

It really took me aback to realize just how unexpected and welcome that expression felt. At what point did we last we saw Keanu Reeves smile in a movie in which he wasn't expressing malice, sarcasm, or bitterness? He likely tries it somewhere in 2020's misbegotten Bill & Ted Face the Music, however I am not going to revisiting that mess to confirm. The actor has remained stuck with serious, murderous, introspective, or just solemn characters for so long that merely seeing him smile seemed like observing a completely different performer.

As the plot goes on, the character ends up having to get a kitchen position, a role that fails to provide sufficient for survival, and Gabriel starts smoking heavily due to disappointment. Simply the image of the actor in a cheap plastic restaurant cap, with his recent trademark long hair tied in an unglamorous ponytail, leaning on a building and puffing on a smoke, is worthy of the price of admission. The kitchen worker attire totally alters his face and posture: Suddenly, the slim, suited action star of the John Wick films becomes awkward, ordinary, and a lot increasingly relatable.

A Pleasure of Viewing Reeves Loosen Up

The film isn't consistently fun to view, particularly when the director (that additionally authored the script) has to find plausible explanations for {Ar