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Good Fortune, this whimsical film from actor the director, is facing challenges in theaters. Several reasons could account for its performance: Its uninspired name doesn't convey the film's distinctive appeal. Its screenplay can be preachy and obvious regarding the messages. The performances are uninspired and presentational, like the actors were reading lines directly from a script. And, it arrives at a time of financial anxiety and inequality, which could make audiences not very open to a narrative which suggests wealthy people enjoy every advantages while those in need possess heart.

However, here's what the movie stands out: The film is original, bold, imaginative, often funny, and certainly timely. Plus, it offers an unexpectedly enjoyable Keanu Reeves character-driven movie.

Reeves in the role of Guardian: His Typical Performance

Personally, I've never regarded Keanu Reeves to be a good actor. The actor's monotonal delivery and persistent expression of slight perturbation has always seemed limited, regardless of the wide variety of roles he's taken on over the last four decades years. Smart directors have often placed Reeves in parts in which that stoic nature fits perfectly, including My Own Private Idaho to the sci-fi classic to the action series. Yet almost every one of these roles called for him to seem hardened, closed-off, or removed.

In the film, Reeves portrays Gabriel, one low-level guardian angel assigned with watching over individuals that text while behind the wheel. The character's whole job is sitting in their cars and gently touching their arms when they're about to crash, warning them in order that the driver stop in time. However, when positioned high above the city, gazing upon the mortal world like a interpretation of a celestial figure from the director's renowned movie Wings of Desire, the character gets ambitious. He desires to become a great guardian and rescuer of lost individuals.

A Surprising Shift: Reeves Playing a Human

So, he presents himself to struggling odd-jobber Arj (portrayed by the director), who's living in his car and resenting his situation. Gabriel proceeds to exchanges the man with the existence of stupidly wealthy tech mogul a character (played by the comedian). This point behind the experiment is for the character to realize the wealthy man's life has significant drawbacks, and thankfully go back to his own life, much like a figure in It's a Wonderful Life.

Issue is, the character right away realizes how Jeff's issues (tedious meetings, expensive pool-heater invoice) are negligible and readily resolved with wealth. Arj also sees that becoming affluent provides limitless opportunities for self-indulgent enjoyment. The character shows zero desire in returning to his previous life, and Gabriel is unable to force him to go back. Subsequently, additional bad news comes: Because of exceeding his duties and disrupting the balance of the world, the character is fired from his angel job, and transformed into a mortal.

A Revelation: Keanu Reeves Smiles

I was never convinced by the actor playing an celestial being who has grand dreams and an intense desire to make a difference. He turns in the same vaguely constipated performance he's consistently providing for no less than the last 3 ten-year periods. Viewing Reeves in the role of celestial being who's recently become mortal for the first time, however, proved to be a blast, due to something that really surprised me at first: It's an element new for the actor. Or perhaps more accurately, something from the past.

Soon during his baffling experience being a mortal, staying with Jeff (who Gabriel had swapped with Arj's precarious life and jobless situation), Gabriel begins hesitantly experimenting with human activities such as chewing and consuming meals. Then the actor smiles. Genuinely, cautiously, joyously beams. (It's far more convincing than his grin on the poster, that appears digitally altered.)

Why This Smile Is Significant

It truly surprised me to realize how surprising and welcome that expression was. At what point did we last we observed the actor grin in a movie in which he was not expressing ill will, irony, or bitterness? He probably attempts it at some point in the recent ill-conceived the sequel, however I am not returning to that disappointment to confirm. The actor has remained stuck with grim, murderous, broody, or just solemn roles for so long that merely watching him grin felt like seeing an entirely different actor.

While the plot progresses, Gabriel ends up needing to take a dishwashing position, a role that fails to provide enough to live on, and Gabriel starts smoking heavily out of disappointment. Just the sight of Reeves in a disposable plastic food-service cap, his recent trademark long hair pulled back in an unglamorous bun, leaning against a building and puffing on a smoke, is worthy of the price of admission. His dishwasher attire totally alters his appearance and body: Unexpectedly, the lean, suited physical powerhouse of the John Wick films is gawky, unglamorous, and a lot increasingly human.

A Pleasure of Viewing Reeves Relax

Good Fortune isn't consistently fun to watch, particularly when Ansari (who additionally wrote the screenplay) must find plausible explanations for {Ar