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Good Fortune, this whimsical comedy by comedian the director, has been facing challenges at the box office. Many factors could explain the film's reception: Its generic title doesn't express the film's distinctive charm. The script is often preachy and obvious with the messages. Its acting are uninspired and staged, like the cast are reading dialogue straight from the page. Moreover, the film comes at a time of economic anxiety and disparity, that may render audiences not very receptive to a narrative which implies wealthy people have all the advantages while the poor 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 great the actor hangout movie.

Keanu Reeves as an Angel: A Familiar Portrayal

I have not considered Keanu Reeves to be a strong performer. The actor's monotonal speaking style and persistent look of mild concern has consistently seemed one-note, despite his wide variety of roles he has taken on over the past four decades of his career. Astute directors have cast him in roles where that stoic nature fits ideally, from his early work to The Matrix to the action series. Yet almost all of those characters called for him to seem hardened, distant, or removed.

In Good Fortune, the actor plays an angel, one low-level protecting celestial being tasked with looking after people that use their phones while behind the wheel. His entire job involves sitting in his cars and gently making contact with their shoulders as they're close to have an accident, warning the person in order that the driver brake in time. However, while standing high above the city, gazing upon humanity like a interpretation of the angel from the director's renowned film the angel story, Gabriel becomes ambitious. He wants to be an exceptional guardian and rescuer of lost souls.

A Unexpected Shift: Reeves as a Human

So, he presents his presence to down-and-out handyman a character (portrayed by Aziz Ansari), who's residing out of his car and cursing his life. The angel proceeds to swaps Arj into the existence of stupidly wealthy tech mogul a character (acted by Seth Rogen). This point behind the experiment was that Arj would understand Jeff's life comes with significant drawbacks, and thankfully return to his own life, much like a figure in It's a Wonderful Life.

Issue was, the character right away realizes that the mogul's problems (boring appointments, expensive pool-heater invoice) prove minor and easily resolved using wealth. Arj also sees that becoming rich provides endless chances for pleasurable enjoyment. He has no desire in going back to his own situation, and the angel can't compel him to return. Subsequently, more bad news comes: For overstepping his mandate and disrupting the balance of the world, the character is fired from his celestial job, and turned into a mortal.

A Discovery: Keanu Reeves Grins

Personally, I remained not convinced by the actor as an celestial being with big aspirations and a burning wish to effect change. Reeves turns in the same somewhat constipated acting he's consistently providing for at least the past 3 ten-year periods. Viewing Reeves in the role of angel that has recently turned human initially, on the other hand, was highly entertaining, due to something that truly surprised viewers at first: This is something different for the actor. Or more accurately, something old.

Early during his baffling experience being a mortal, staying with Jeff (who Gabriel had swapped with the handyman's hand-to-mouth existence and jobless situation), Gabriel begins hesitantly trying out everyday experiences such as chewing and swallowing meals. And Reeves grins. Authentically, hesitantly, happily beams. (This is a lot more believable than his smile on the poster, which looks digitally altered.)

Why This Smile Is Significant

It truly surprised me to recognize just how unexpected and welcome that expression was. At what point was the last time we saw Keanu Reeves grin in a movie where he wasn't expressing malice, sarcasm, or bitterness? The actor probably tries a smile at some point in the recent ill-conceived Bill & Ted Face the Music, however I am not revisiting the mess to confirm. Reeves has remained stuck with serious, murderous, broody, or simply serious roles for so long that merely seeing him smile felt like observing a completely new actor.

As the story goes on, Gabriel ends up needing to take a dishwashing job, which doesn't pay enough to live on, and he starts chain-smoking due to disappointment. Simply the sight of the actor in a disposable paper restaurant cap, his late-career trademark locks pulled back in a plain bun, slouching against a building and smoking a smoke, proves worth watching. The kitchen worker getup totally changes his face and posture: Suddenly, the slim, well-dressed action star of the John Wick movies is gawky, unglamorous, and a lot more human.

A Joy of Viewing Keanu Relax

Good Fortune is not consistently enjoyable to watch, especially when the director (that additionally wrote the script) has to find plausible explanations for {Ar