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Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, this fantasy film by comedian Aziz Ansari, is facing challenges in theaters. Several factors could account for the film's performance: Its uninspired name fails to express the film's unique charm. Its screenplay can be moralizing and heavy-handed regarding the messages. Its performances seem flat and presentational, like the cast are reading lines straight from the page. And, it arrives at a time of financial uncertainty and disparity, that could make viewers not very receptive to a story that suggests rich individuals enjoy every advantages while the poor possess spirit.

But, this is what Good Fortune excels: It's unique, daring, creative, often funny, and undoubtedly relevant. Plus, it offers a enjoyable Keanu Reeves character-driven movie.

Keanu Reeves in the role of Guardian: A Familiar Performance

Personally, I've never considered Reeves a good actor. The actor's monotonal speaking style and persistent look of slight concern have consistently felt limited, despite the broad range of characters he's played over the past four decades of his career. Astute directors have often cast Reeves in roles where that rigidity works ideally, from his early work to The Matrix to John Wick. But nearly all of those characters required him to appear hardened, closed-off, or detached.

Throughout the film, Reeves plays an angel, a minor guardian angel tasked with looking after people that text when driving. His entire job is remaining in their cars and gently making contact with the drivers' shoulders as they are close to crash, alerting the person in order that they stop before impact. However, when standing overlooking the city, gazing on humanity similar to a interpretation of a celestial figure in Wim Wenders' renowned movie the angel story, Gabriel gets aspirational. He desires to become a great guardian and rescuer of lost individuals.

The Surprising Turn: Reeves Playing a Mortal

So, Gabriel reveals himself to struggling handyman a character (played by Aziz Ansari), who's residing in a vehicle and cursing his situation. The angel then exchanges the man with the life of extremely rich tech mogul a character (acted by the comedian). The point of the exercise is for Arj would understand the wealthy man's existence has major downsides, and gratefully go back to his original life, similar to a character from the classic film.

Issue was, the character immediately discovers how the mogul's issues (tedious appointments, expensive heating invoice) prove negligible and readily resolved using money. Arj also realizes how being rich opens up endless chances for pleasurable fun. He has zero interest in going back to his own life, and the angel can't force him to go back. Then, additional bad news arrives: For exceeding his duties and disrupting the balance of existence, the character loses his position as an celestial role, and turned to a human being.

The Discovery: The Actor Grins

Personally, I remained never convinced by Reeves as an celestial being with grand aspirations and a burning wish to make a difference. He delivers the same somewhat constipated acting he has consistently providing for no less than the last three ten-year periods. Watching Reeves in the role of angel who's recently become human for the first time, however, proved to be highly entertaining, due to something that really surprised viewers at first: It's something new for Reeves. Or perhaps more accurately, something old.

Early into the character's baffling career as a mortal, clinging to Jeff (who Gabriel had swapped into Arj's precarious existence and underemployed status), the character begins hesitantly trying out human experiences like eating and consuming meals. And Reeves grins. Authentically, cautiously, happily smiles. (This is a lot much convincing than the grin shown in the promotional image, which looks digitally altered.)

Why This Smile Is Significant

It truly took me aback to realize how surprising and welcome the expression felt. When did we last we saw the actor grin in a film where he wasn't showing ill will, sarcasm, or bitterness? The actor probably attempts a smile somewhere in 2020's ill-conceived Bill & Ted Face the Music, however I am not revisiting that mess to confirm. The actor has been stuck with serious, murderous, introspective, or simply serious roles for such a duration that just seeing him smile seemed like seeing an entirely new actor.

While the plot progresses, the character finds himself needing to get a dishwashing job, which fails to provide sufficient to live on, and he begins smoking heavily due to disappointment. Just the image of Reeves in a cheap paper food-service hat, his late-career trademark locks pulled back in a plain bun, slouching on a wall and puffing on a smoke, is worth watching. His dishwasher getup totally alters his appearance and posture: Unexpectedly, the slim, well-dressed physical powerhouse of the John Wick movies becomes awkward, ordinary, and much more relatable.

The Pleasure of Watching Keanu Relax

Good Fortune is not always enjoyable to watch, particularly when the director (who additionally authored the script) must find believable explanations for {Ar