🔗 Share this article

Good Fortune, the whimsical film by actor the director, is struggling at the box office. Several factors may account for the film's performance: The uninspired name fails to express the movie's unique appeal. Its script is often preachy and heavy-handed regarding the themes. Its performances seem flat and staged, like the cast were reading lines straight from a script. Moreover, it arrives at a time of financial uncertainty and inequality, which may render viewers less open to a story which implies wealthy individuals have every advantages while the poor have heart.

However, this is where Good Fortune excels: It's unique, bold, creative, often humorous, and undoubtedly timely. And, it offers a enjoyable Keanu Reeves hangout experience.

Reeves in the role of Angel: His Typical Portrayal

I have never regarded Keanu Reeves to be a strong performer. The actor's flat delivery and persistent expression of mild perturbation have always felt limited, regardless of his wide variety of characters he's played over the past four decades years. Smart filmmakers have placed him in roles in which that rigidity works ideally, including My Own Private Idaho to the sci-fi classic to the action series. But nearly all of these characters called for Reeves to appear hardened, distant, or detached.

In Good Fortune, the actor plays an angel, a low-level guardian angel assigned with watching over people that use their phones when behind the wheel. The character's entire job is remaining in their vehicles and gently making contact with their arms when they are close to crash, warning the person in order that the driver brake in time. But, while positioned overlooking his domain, gazing upon humanity similar to an alternative version of the angel in Wim Wenders' renowned movie Wings of Desire, the character becomes aspirational. Gabriel desires to become an exceptional guardian and rescuer of wayward individuals.

The Surprising Shift: Keanu as a Human

Therefore, he reveals his presence to down-and-out handyman a character (portrayed by the director), who's residing in his car and resenting his situation. Gabriel then exchanges Arj into the existence of stupidly wealthy tech mogul a character (acted by the comedian). This point of the experiment was that Arj would understand the wealthy man's existence comes with significant drawbacks, and thankfully go back to his original life, similar to a character in the classic film.

Issue was, the character immediately discovers how Jeff's issues (boring meetings, a pricey pool-heater bill) are negligible and easily solved with wealth. He also sees how being rich opens up limitless opportunities for pleasurable enjoyment. He has no interest in going back to his previous life, and Gabriel is unable to compel Arj to go back. Then, additional bad news arrives: For exceeding his mandate and messing with the order of existence, Gabriel is fired as an angel job, and turned to a human being.

The Discovery: Keanu Reeves Smiles

I was not convinced by Reeves as an celestial being who has grand aspirations and an intense desire to effect change. He turns in a familiar vaguely constipated acting he's been providing for at least the past 3 decades. Watching Reeves as an celestial being who's recently become mortal initially, however, proved to be highly entertaining, due to something which really surprised me initially: This is an element new for the actor. Or perhaps to be precise, something old.

Early into the character's confusing career as a human, staying with the wealthy character (who Gabriel exchanged into Arj's precarious life and underemployed situation), Gabriel starts tentatively experimenting with everyday activities such as chewing and swallowing food. And Reeves grins. Genuinely, hesitantly, happily smiles. (This is far more believable than his grin on the promotional image, that appears artificially added.)

The Reason That Smile Matters

It truly took me aback to recognize how surprising and welcome the smile felt. When did we last audiences saw Keanu Reeves grin in a movie in which he wasn't showing malice, irony, or bitterness? The actor probably attempts a smile at some point in 2020's misbegotten Bill & Ted Face the Music, but I'm not returning to the mess to find out. The actor has remained typecast with serious, violent, broody, or simply serious roles for such a duration that just watching him smile seemed like seeing a completely new actor.

While the plot goes on, the character ends up having to take a dishwashing position, which doesn't pay sufficient to live on, and he begins smoking heavily due to disappointment. Simply the image of Reeves in a disposable paper food-service cap, with his late-career trademark long hair tied in a plain ponytail, slouching on a wall and smoking a smoke, is worthy of the price of admission. The kitchen worker getup totally alters his appearance and body: Unexpectedly, the slim, well-dressed action star of his famous movies becomes gawky, unglamorous, and much increasingly human.

A Joy of Watching Keanu Loosen Up

Good Fortune is not always fun to watch, especially when the director (who also authored the screenplay) must find believable explanations for {Ar