🔗 Share this article

Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, the whimsical comedy by actor the director, is facing challenges in theaters. Several reasons could explain its reception: Its generic name fails to express the movie's distinctive charm. Its script is often preachy and obvious with its themes. The performances seem uninspired and staged, like the cast were reading dialogue straight from a script. And, the film comes during an era marked by economic anxiety and disparity, which could render viewers less receptive to a story which suggests wealthy individuals have every benefits while the poor have heart.

But, this is what Good Fortune stands out: The film is unique, bold, imaginative, frequently funny, and undoubtedly relevant. Plus, it provides a great Keanu Reeves hangout movie.

Keanu Reeves as an Guardian: A Familiar Portrayal

I have not regarded Keanu Reeves to be a good performer. The actor's monotonal delivery and consistent expression of slight concern have always felt one-note, despite his broad range of roles he has taken on over the last four decades years. Astute directors have cast him in roles in which that rigidity works perfectly, including My Own Private Idaho to The Matrix to John Wick. But almost all of those characters required Reeves to seem tough, distant, and removed.

Throughout the film, Reeves portrays Gabriel, one low-level protecting angel tasked with looking after individuals that text while behind the wheel. The character's whole duty is remaining in their vehicles and lightly making contact with the drivers' arms when they're close to crash, warning them so the driver brake in time. However, when positioned overlooking the city, looking down upon the mortal world like a interpretation of a celestial figure from Wim Wenders' classic movie the angel story, the character gets ambitious. Gabriel desires to be a great guardian and a savior of lost souls.

The Unexpected Shift: Keanu Playing a Mortal

Therefore, he reveals himself to down-and-out odd-jobber Arj (portrayed by Aziz Ansari), who is residing out of his car and cursing his life. Gabriel proceeds to swaps the man into the life of stupidly rich businessman a character (played by the comedian). The point behind the experiment was for the character to realize Jeff's existence has significant drawbacks, and gratefully return to his original life, similar to the character in the classic film.

Problem is, Arj right away discovers how the mogul's problems (tedious appointments, expensive heating bill) are negligible and readily solved with money. Arj further sees that being rich opens up limitless chances for self-indulgent enjoyment. He has no desire in returning to his previous life, and the angel can't compel Arj to go back. Then, additional trouble comes: For exceeding his duties and messing with the order of the world, the character is fired as an celestial role, and transformed to a mortal.

A Revelation: Keanu Reeves Grins

I was not persuaded by the actor as an celestial being who has big dreams and an intense desire to make a difference. Reeves delivers the same somewhat constipated acting he's consistently offering for at least the past 3 decades. Viewing him as an celestial being that has just become human initially, on the other hand, was highly entertaining, due to something that really surprised viewers initially: This is an element different for Reeves. Or perhaps to be precise, something old.

Soon into his confusing career as a mortal, clinging to the wealthy character (who Gabriel had swapped into Arj's precarious life and underemployed situation), the character starts tentatively experimenting with human activities like eating and consuming meals. Then the actor smiles. Genuinely, cautiously, joyously beams. (It's a lot more convincing than his grin shown in the poster, which looks digitally altered.)

The Reason This Smile Is Significant

It really surprised me to recognize just how surprising and welcome that expression felt. When did we last audiences saw Keanu Reeves smile in a film where he was not expressing ill will, irony, or bitterness? He probably attempts it somewhere in the recent ill-conceived the sequel, but I'm not going to returning to that mess to confirm. The actor has remained stuck with serious, murderous, broody, or just serious roles for such a duration that just seeing Reeves grin felt like observing a completely new actor.

While the story goes on, Gabriel finds himself needing to get a kitchen position, a role that fails to provide enough for survival, and he starts chain-smoking out of disappointment. Simply the sight of Reeves in a cheap paper restaurant cap, with his recent signature locks pulled back in a plain ponytail, slouching on a wall and smoking a cigarette, is worth watching. His dishwasher getup totally changes his face and posture: Unexpectedly, the lean, suited action star of the John Wick films is awkward, ordinary, and much increasingly human.

The Pleasure of Viewing Reeves Loosen Up

The film is not consistently fun to view, especially when the director (that also wrote the screenplay) must find believable explanations for {Ar