Let Keanu Reeves Smile More: A Look at His Performance in Good Fortune

Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, this fantasy comedy from comedian Aziz Ansari, has been struggling in theaters. Several reasons may account for the film's performance: Its uninspired title fails to convey its film's unique appeal. Its screenplay can be moralizing and obvious regarding its themes. The performances seem uninspired and presentational, as if the actors were reciting dialogue straight from the page. Moreover, the film comes at a time of economic anxiety and disparity, which may make audiences less receptive to a narrative that implies rich people have every advantages while the poor possess spirit.

However, this is where the movie stands out: The film is original, daring, imaginative, often humorous, and certainly timely. And, it provides an unexpectedly great the actor character-driven experience.

Keanu Reeves in the role of Angel: A Familiar Portrayal

Personally, I've not regarded Reeves to be a good performer. The actor's flat delivery and persistent look of mild perturbation have always seemed limited, despite his wide range of characters he's taken on over the past four decades years. Smart directors have cast him in roles where that stoic nature works perfectly, including his early work to The Matrix to the action series. Yet almost all of those characters called for him to appear hardened, closed-off, and removed.

Throughout Good Fortune, the actor plays an angel, a low-level protecting celestial being tasked with looking after people who use their phones when driving. The character's whole job involves remaining in his vehicles and lightly touching their arms when they're about to have an accident, warning the person so they brake in time. However, when standing overlooking the city, looking down upon the mortal world like an alternative version of the angel from Wim Wenders' classic film the angel story, the character becomes ambitious. He wants to be a great guardian and rescuer of wayward souls.

A Unexpected Turn: Keanu as a Mortal

So, Gabriel reveals his presence to struggling odd-jobber a character (portrayed by Aziz Ansari), who is living in a vehicle and resenting his life. Gabriel then swaps the man into the existence of extremely rich businessman a character (played by Seth Rogen). This idea of the experiment is that the character would understand the wealthy man's existence has major drawbacks, and gratefully go back to his own life, much like a character from the classic film.

Problem was, the character immediately realizes that Jeff's issues (tedious meetings, a pricey pool-heater bill) are negligible and readily resolved with money. Arj also realizes how being rich provides limitless chances for self-indulgent enjoyment. The character shows no desire in returning to his previous life, and Gabriel is unable to force him to return. Then, additional bad news arrives: For exceeding his mandate and disrupting the balance of existence, the character is fired as an angel job, and transformed to a mortal.

A Discovery: The Actor Smiles

I was never convinced by Reeves as an celestial being with grand aspirations and a burning wish to effect change. He delivers the same somewhat constipated performance he has been providing for no less than the last three ten-year periods. Watching Reeves in the role of angel who's just become human for the first time, on the other hand, was a blast, for a reason which truly astonished me initially: It's something new for Reeves. Or more accurately, an aspect old.

Early into his confusing career as a mortal, staying with the wealthy character (who the angel had swapped with the handyman's hand-to-mouth existence and jobless status), the character starts tentatively experimenting with human activities like eating and swallowing meals. And the actor grins. Genuinely, cautiously, joyously beams. (It's a lot much believable than the smile shown in the promotional image, which appears artificially added.)

Why That Smile Matters

It truly surprised me to recognize how surprising and welcome that smile was. When did we last audiences observed the actor smile in a film in which he was not expressing ill will, sarcasm, or bitterness? He likely attempts it at some point in 2020's ill-conceived Bill & Ted Face the Music, however I'm not going to returning to the disappointment to confirm. Reeves has been typecast with grim, murderous, broody, or simply solemn roles for so long that just watching him smile seemed like observing an entirely different actor.

As the plot goes on, Gabriel ends up needing to take a kitchen job, which fails to provide enough for survival, and Gabriel begins smoking heavily due to frustration. Simply the sight of the actor in a disposable paper food-service cap, his recent trademark locks pulled back in an unglamorous ponytail, slouching on a building and puffing on a cigarette, proves worth the price of admission. The kitchen worker attire completely changes his face and posture: Suddenly, the slim, suited action star of his famous movies becomes awkward, ordinary, and much increasingly human.

A Pleasure of Watching Keanu Loosen Up

Good Fortune isn't consistently enjoyable to view, particularly when Ansari (who also authored the screenplay) must create plausible explanations for {Ar