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Good Fortune, this whimsical comedy from comedian Aziz Ansari, has been struggling at the box office. Many reasons could explain the film's performance: Its generic name doesn't express its film's distinctive charm. The script can be preachy and heavy-handed regarding its themes. The performances are uninspired and staged, as if the cast are reciting lines straight from a script. And, the film comes during an era marked by economic uncertainty and disparity, which may make audiences not very open to a narrative that suggests wealthy individuals enjoy every advantages while those in need have heart.

But, here's what the movie excels: The film is unique, bold, imaginative, often funny, and undoubtedly timely. And, it offers an unexpectedly great the actor hangout experience.

Reeves in the role of Angel: His Typical Portrayal

I have not regarded Reeves to be a strong performer. The actor's flat speaking style and consistent look of slight concern has always seemed limited, despite his broad variety of characters he has played during the last four decades years. Astute directors have often cast him in parts where his rigidity works perfectly, from his early work to The Matrix to John Wick. But nearly every one of these roles required him to appear hardened, closed-off, or detached.

In Good Fortune, the actor plays an angel, one minor protecting angel tasked with looking after people that use their phones while driving. The character's entire job is remaining in their cars and lightly touching the drivers' arms as they are about to crash, warning them in order that the driver stop before impact. But, when positioned high above his domain, looking down on the mortal world similar to a interpretation of the angel in the director's renowned movie Wings of Desire, the character becomes ambitious. He desires to be an exceptional protector and a savior of wayward individuals.

A Unexpected Turn: Keanu Playing a Human

Therefore, he presents his presence to struggling handyman Arj (played by the director), who is residing out of his car and cursing his life. Gabriel then swaps the man with the life of stupidly wealthy tech mogul Jeff (played by Seth Rogen). The point of the exercise is that Arj would understand the wealthy man's existence comes with major downsides, and gratefully go back to his own circumstances, much like the figure from It's a Wonderful Life.

Problem is, Arj immediately discovers how the mogul's problems (boring appointments, expensive pool-heater invoice) prove minor and readily resolved using money. Arj further sees how becoming rich provides endless chances for self-indulgent enjoyment. He shows no interest in returning to his own situation, and Gabriel is unable to force Arj to go back. Subsequently, more bad news comes: Because of exceeding his duties and disrupting the balance of existence, the character loses his position from his celestial job, and turned into a mortal.

The Revelation: Keanu Reeves Smiles

I was not convinced by the actor as an celestial being with grand aspirations and a burning desire to make a difference. Reeves delivers a familiar vaguely constipated performance he has consistently offering for at least the past 3 decades. Viewing him in the role of celestial being who's just turned mortal for the first time, however, proved to be a blast, due to something which really astonished me initially: It's something different for the actor. Or perhaps more accurately, something from the past.

Early during his baffling experience as a mortal, staying with Jeff (whom Gabriel had swapped into the handyman's hand-to-mouth existence and underemployed status), the character begins hesitantly experimenting with everyday experiences such as eating and consuming food. Then Reeves grins. Genuinely, hesitantly, joyously smiles. (This is far much convincing than the smile shown in the poster, which looks artificially added.)

Why This Smile Matters

It truly surprised me to recognize how unexpected and refreshing that expression was. When did we last we saw the actor grin in a movie where he was not expressing malice, sarcasm, or resentment? He likely tries a smile somewhere in the recent ill-conceived Bill & Ted Face the Music, but I'm not returning to that disappointment to find out. Reeves has remained typecast with grim, violent, broody, or simply solemn characters for such a duration that just watching him grin felt like seeing an entirely different actor.

As the story goes on, the character finds himself having to get a kitchen position, a role that fails to provide enough to live on, and he starts smoking heavily out of disappointment. Simply the image of Reeves in a cheap paper restaurant hat, with his recent signature long hair pulled back in an unglamorous bun, leaning on a wall and puffing on a smoke, proves worth watching. His kitchen worker getup completely changes his face and body: Unexpectedly, the lean, suited physical powerhouse of the John Wick films is awkward, unglamorous, and a lot more relatable.

A Pleasure of Viewing Keanu Relax

Good Fortune is not consistently enjoyable to view, particularly when Ansari (who additionally wrote the script) has to create believable explanations for {Ar