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Good Fortune, the whimsical comedy from actor the director, is struggling in theaters. Many reasons could explain its reception: The uninspired title doesn't express the movie's unique charm. Its script is often preachy and heavy-handed regarding its messages. Its acting seem flat and presentational, like the cast were reciting lines straight from a script. And, it arrives at a time of economic anxiety and inequality, which could make viewers not very open to a narrative which implies wealthy people enjoy every advantages while the poor possess heart.

However, this is where Good Fortune stands out: It's unique, bold, imaginative, frequently funny, and undoubtedly relevant. And, it offers a great the actor hangout movie.

Reeves in the role of Guardian: A Familiar Performance

I have not regarded Keanu Reeves to be a strong actor. The actor's monotonal delivery and persistent expression of slight concern have always seemed one-note, regardless of the broad variety of roles he's taken on over the last 40 of his career. Smart filmmakers have often placed him in parts where that rigidity fits perfectly, from his early work to the sci-fi classic to the action series. Yet almost all of these characters called for him to seem tough, distant, and removed.

Throughout the film, Reeves plays Gabriel, one low-level guardian celestial being tasked with looking after people who text when behind the wheel. The character's whole duty involves remaining in their cars and gently making contact with their shoulders when they're close to have an accident, warning them in order that the driver brake before impact. However, when standing high above his domain, looking down upon the mortal world similar to a interpretation of the angel from the director's renowned movie the angel story, Gabriel gets ambitious. He wants to be a great guardian and rescuer of wayward souls.

A Unexpected Turn: Reeves as a Mortal

Therefore, Gabriel reveals his presence to down-and-out handyman Arj (played by Aziz Ansari), who's living out of a vehicle and resenting his situation. The angel then swaps the man with the life of stupidly wealthy businessman a character (played by Seth Rogen). This point of the experiment is that Arj would understand Jeff's life has significant drawbacks, and thankfully return to his original life, similar to a character from It's a Wonderful Life.

Problem is, the character right away discovers how Jeff's problems (boring appointments, expensive pool-heater invoice) are negligible and easily solved with money. Arj also sees that being rich provides limitless chances for self-indulgent fun. He shows zero desire in going back to his own life, and Gabriel can't compel Arj to go back. Subsequently, additional trouble arrives: Because of overstepping his mandate and messing with the order of the world, Gabriel loses his position as an angel role, and turned into a human being.

The Revelation: The Actor Grins

Personally, I remained never persuaded by Reeves as an celestial being with grand dreams and an intense wish to make a difference. Reeves delivers the same vaguely stiff acting he's been providing for at least the past 3 decades. Watching Reeves in the role of celestial being who's just turned mortal for the first time, on the other hand, was a blast, for a reason which really astonished me initially: This is something different for the actor. Or more accurately, an aspect from the past.

Soon into the character's confusing career as a human, staying with the wealthy character (whom the angel exchanged into Arj's precarious existence and underemployed status), the character starts tentatively trying out human activities like chewing and swallowing food. Then the actor smiles. Genuinely, hesitantly, happily smiles. (It's far much believable than the grin shown in the promotional image, which looks digitally altered.)

Why That Grin Matters

It truly took me aback to recognize how surprising and refreshing the smile felt. At what point was the last time audiences saw Keanu Reeves smile in a movie in which he was not showing ill will, sarcasm, or resentment? He likely attempts a smile somewhere in the recent misbegotten Bill & Ted Face the Music, however I am not going to revisiting that disappointment to find out. The actor has been stuck with grim, violent, introspective, or just solemn roles for so long that just seeing him smile felt like seeing an entirely new performer.

As the story goes on, the character ends up needing to take a kitchen job, a role that fails to provide sufficient for survival, and he starts smoking heavily out of frustration. Just the sight of Reeves in a cheap paper restaurant hat, his late-career signature long hair pulled back in a plain ponytail, leaning against a wall and puffing on a smoke, proves worthy of watching. The kitchen worker attire totally changes his appearance and posture: Suddenly, the slim, suited physical powerhouse of the John Wick films is awkward, unglamorous, and much more human.

A Joy of Viewing Reeves Loosen Up

Good Fortune is not consistently fun to watch, particularly when Ansari (that also wrote the screenplay) has to create believable reasons for {Ar