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Good Fortune, the whimsical film from comedian the director, is facing challenges in theaters. Several factors could account for the film's reception: Its generic name doesn't express the movie's distinctive appeal. The screenplay is often moralizing and obvious regarding the themes. The performances seem uninspired and staged, as if the actors are reciting dialogue directly from the page. And, the film comes at a time marked by financial anxiety and inequality, that could make audiences not very receptive to a narrative that suggests rich individuals enjoy all the benefits while those in need possess heart.

But, here's where the movie excels: The film is unique, daring, creative, often humorous, and certainly timely. And, it provides a enjoyable Keanu Reeves hangout experience.

Reeves as an Angel: A Familiar Portrayal

I have never regarded Keanu Reeves a strong performer. His monotonal speaking style and persistent look of slight perturbation have consistently seemed limited, despite the broad variety of roles he has played over the last 40 of his career. Smart filmmakers have placed him in roles where his rigidity works perfectly, including My Own Private Idaho to the sci-fi classic to the action series. But nearly all of these roles called for Reeves to seem hardened, distant, or detached.

Throughout the film, Reeves plays an angel, one minor protecting angel tasked with watching over individuals who use their phones while behind the wheel. His entire duty involves sitting in their cars and gently touching the drivers' arms when they're about to have an accident, alerting the person so they brake in time. But, when positioned overlooking his domain, gazing on the mortal world like a interpretation of the angel in the director's renowned movie Wings of Desire, Gabriel becomes aspirational. Gabriel wants to be a great guardian and rescuer of lost souls.

The Surprising Turn: Reeves as a Human

Therefore, Gabriel reveals his presence to struggling handyman a character (portrayed by Aziz Ansari), who is living in his car and cursing his situation. The angel then swaps the man into the life of extremely rich tech mogul a character (acted by Seth Rogen). This point of the experiment is that Arj to understand the wealthy man's life has significant downsides, and thankfully return to his original circumstances, similar to a character from It's a Wonderful Life.

Problem was, Arj immediately discovers that Jeff's problems (boring appointments, a pricey heating invoice) are negligible and easily resolved with wealth. Arj also realizes that being affluent opens up endless opportunities for pleasurable enjoyment. He has no desire in going back to his own situation, and Gabriel is unable to compel him to return. Subsequently, more bad news comes: For overstepping his mandate and disrupting the balance of existence, the character loses his position from his celestial job, and transformed to a human being.

A Revelation: Keanu Reeves Grins

Personally, I remained never persuaded by the actor as an celestial being who has big aspirations and an intense wish to effect change. He delivers a familiar somewhat stiff performance he has been offering for at least the last three ten-year periods. Viewing Reeves as an celestial being that has just turned human initially, however, was a blast, for a reason that truly astonished me initially: This is an element new for Reeves. Or more accurately, something from the past.

Early into the character's baffling career being a human, clinging to the wealthy character (whom the angel exchanged with Arj's precarious life and jobless situation), the character begins tentatively experimenting with everyday experiences like eating and consuming food. And the actor grins. Authentically, cautiously, joyously beams. (This is a lot much believable than the smile on the poster, which appears digitally altered.)

The Reason That Smile Matters

It truly took me aback to recognize how surprising and refreshing that smile felt. At what point was the last time we observed Keanu Reeves grin in a movie where he was not showing malice, sarcasm, or resentment? He likely tries a smile somewhere in 2020's ill-conceived Bill & Ted Face the Music, but I am not going to returning to that disappointment to find out. Reeves has been stuck with serious, violent, broody, or just serious characters for so long that just watching him grin felt like seeing a completely different performer.

While the story goes on, Gabriel finds himself needing to take a dishwashing position, which fails to provide enough for survival, and Gabriel starts smoking heavily out of disappointment. Just the image of the actor in a cheap paper food-service hat, with his late-career signature locks tied in a plain ponytail, leaning on a wall and puffing on a cigarette, proves worthy of watching. The kitchen worker attire totally changes his appearance and body: Suddenly, the lean, suited action star of his famous movies is gawky, ordinary, and a lot increasingly relatable.

A Joy of Watching Keanu Loosen Up

The film is not consistently fun to watch, especially when the director (who also authored the script) has to create believable explanations for {Ar