🔗 Share this article

Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, this whimsical film from comedian the director, is struggling in theaters. Many factors could account for its reception: Its uninspired name fails to convey its movie's unique appeal. Its screenplay can be moralizing and heavy-handed regarding its themes. Its performances are uninspired and presentational, like the actors are reciting dialogue directly from the page. Moreover, the film comes during an era marked by financial uncertainty and disparity, which may render viewers less open to a story which suggests rich individuals enjoy all the advantages while the poor have heart.

But, here's what Good Fortune stands out: It's unique, daring, creative, frequently humorous, and undoubtedly timely. Plus, it provides an unexpectedly enjoyable the actor hangout movie.

Reeves as an Angel: A Familiar Performance

Personally, I've never regarded Reeves to be a good performer. The actor's monotonal delivery and persistent expression of mild concern have consistently felt limited, despite the wide range of characters he's played over the past 40 of his career. Astute filmmakers have placed him in roles in which that stoic nature works perfectly, including My Own Private Idaho to the sci-fi classic to the action series. But nearly every one of those characters required Reeves to appear tough, distant, and detached.

In Good Fortune, the actor portrays an angel, one minor protecting angel assigned with watching over people that text while driving. The character's entire job is sitting in his cars and gently making contact with their shoulders as they're about to crash, alerting the person in order that they stop in time. But, when positioned overlooking his domain, gazing on the mortal world similar to a interpretation of the angel from the director's classic film Wings of Desire, the character gets aspirational. He desires to be an exceptional protector and rescuer of lost souls.

The Unexpected Shift: Keanu as a Mortal

So, he reveals himself to down-and-out handyman a character (portrayed by Aziz Ansari), who is living in his car and cursing his life. The angel proceeds to swaps Arj with the existence of extremely rich tech mogul Jeff (acted by Seth Rogen). The point of the experiment is that Arj would realize the wealthy man's life has major downsides, and thankfully return to his own circumstances, much like the figure in the classic film.

Issue is, Arj immediately discovers how the mogul's problems (tedious meetings, expensive pool-heater bill) are negligible and readily solved with wealth. He also realizes how being rich provides limitless chances for self-indulgent fun. The character shows zero desire in returning to his own situation, and the angel can't compel him to go back. Subsequently, more trouble arrives: For exceeding his mandate and messing with the balance of the world, the character loses his position from his angel job, and turned into a human being.

A Discovery: The Actor Smiles

Personally, I remained never persuaded by the actor playing an celestial being who has grand aspirations and an intense desire to effect change. He turns in the same somewhat constipated performance he's consistently offering for no less than the last 3 ten-year periods. Watching Reeves as an celestial being that has recently become human initially, on the other hand, proved to be highly entertaining, due to something that really surprised viewers at first: It's something new for Reeves. Or perhaps more accurately, an aspect old.

Early during his baffling experience being a mortal, staying with the wealthy character (who the angel exchanged with the handyman's hand-to-mouth existence and jobless status), the character starts hesitantly experimenting with human activities like chewing and consuming meals. And Reeves smiles. Authentically, cautiously, happily beams. (This is a lot more believable than the smile on the poster, that looks digitally altered.)

The Reason That Grin Matters

The moment really surprised me to recognize how surprising and refreshing that smile was. When was the last time audiences saw Keanu Reeves smile in a movie where he was not expressing malice, irony, or bitterness? He probably attempts a smile at some point in the recent misbegotten the sequel, but I am not returning to that disappointment to find out. The actor has been typecast with grim, murderous, broody, or simply serious characters for so long that merely watching him grin felt like seeing a completely new performer.

While the story progresses, Gabriel ends up having to take a kitchen job, a role that doesn't pay enough to live on, and Gabriel begins smoking heavily due to disappointment. Just the image of Reeves in a cheap paper restaurant hat, with his recent signature long hair tied in an unglamorous ponytail, slouching on a building and puffing on a smoke, proves worthy of the price of admission. His kitchen worker attire totally alters his face and posture: Suddenly, the slim, suited action star of his famous movies becomes gawky, unglamorous, and much more relatable.

The Joy of Watching Keanu Loosen Up

The film is not always enjoyable to view, particularly when the director (that also wrote the screenplay) must find believable reasons for {Ar