🔗 Share this article

Good Fortune, the fantasy film from comedian Aziz Ansari, is facing challenges in theaters. Several factors may account for the film's reception: The generic title fails to convey its movie's distinctive appeal. Its screenplay can be preachy and obvious with its themes. Its performances are uninspired and presentational, like the cast were reading dialogue directly from the page. And, the film comes at a time marked by economic anxiety and inequality, which could make viewers less open to a story which suggests wealthy individuals enjoy all the advantages while those in need possess spirit.

However, here's where Good Fortune stands out: It's unique, bold, imaginative, often humorous, and undoubtedly relevant. Plus, it offers an unexpectedly great the actor hangout movie.

Keanu Reeves as an Guardian: A Familiar Portrayal

I have not regarded Reeves to be a good performer. The actor's monotonal speaking style and consistent expression of mild concern has consistently seemed limited, despite the wide range of roles he's played during the past 40 years. Smart directors have placed him in parts in which that stoic nature works perfectly, including his early work to the sci-fi classic to John Wick. But almost all of those roles called for Reeves to seem hardened, closed-off, or removed.

Throughout the film, Reeves plays an angel, a low-level protecting angel assigned with looking after individuals who use their phones while driving. His whole job involves sitting in their vehicles and lightly touching their arms when they are about to have an accident, alerting the person so they stop in time. But, while positioned overlooking his domain, looking down upon the mortal world similar to an alternative interpretation of the angel in Wim Wenders' classic movie Wings of Desire, the character becomes ambitious. He desires to become an exceptional protector and rescuer of lost souls.

A Surprising Turn: Reeves Playing a Mortal

Therefore, Gabriel reveals himself to struggling handyman Arj (portrayed by Aziz Ansari), who's residing out of a vehicle and resenting his life. Gabriel then exchanges Arj into the existence of stupidly wealthy businessman Jeff (played by the comedian). The idea behind the experiment is for the character to understand Jeff's existence comes with significant downsides, and gratefully go back to his original life, much like the figure from It's a Wonderful Life.

Problem was, the character right away realizes how the mogul's issues (tedious meetings, expensive pool-heater invoice) prove minor and easily resolved using wealth. He also realizes how being rich opens up limitless opportunities for pleasurable enjoyment. The character shows no interest in returning to his own life, and the angel is unable to force him to return. Subsequently, more trouble arrives: For overstepping his mandate and disrupting the balance of the world, the character loses his position from his celestial role, and turned into a mortal.

The Revelation: The Actor Grins

I was never convinced by Reeves playing an celestial being who has big dreams and a burning wish to make a difference. Reeves turns in a familiar somewhat constipated acting he's been providing for no less than the past three decades. Watching him in the role of celestial being who's just turned human initially, however, was highly entertaining, due to something that really astonished viewers initially: This is something new for Reeves. Or perhaps more accurately, something from the past.

Early into his baffling career being a mortal, clinging to the wealthy character (whom Gabriel had swapped with the handyman's precarious life and underemployed situation), Gabriel starts hesitantly trying out human experiences such as eating and consuming food. Then Reeves grins. Authentically, hesitantly, happily beams. (It's a lot much believable than his grin on the poster, which looks artificially added.)

Why This Grin Matters

The moment truly took me aback to realize just how unexpected and welcome the smile felt. When was the last time audiences saw the actor smile in a movie in which he was not expressing ill will, sarcasm, or resentment? He likely attempts a smile somewhere in 2020's misbegotten the sequel, however I am not going to revisiting that disappointment to confirm. Reeves has been typecast with serious, murderous, introspective, or simply solemn roles for such a duration that merely seeing him grin felt like observing an entirely different performer.

While the story goes on, Gabriel ends up having to take a dishwashing job, a role that fails to provide enough to live on, and Gabriel begins smoking heavily out of frustration. Simply the image of the actor in a disposable paper restaurant hat, with his late-career trademark long hair tied in an unglamorous bun, leaning against a wall and puffing on a cigarette, proves worthy of watching. His kitchen worker attire completely alters his face and posture: Unexpectedly, the lean, well-dressed action star of his famous movies becomes gawky, unglamorous, and a lot more human.

The Joy of Viewing Keanu Loosen Up

Good Fortune is not consistently enjoyable to view, particularly when the director (who also wrote the screenplay) must create plausible reasons for {Ar