Let Keanu Reeves Smile More: A Look at His Performance in the New Film
Good Fortune, this whimsical film by actor the director, is facing challenges in theaters. Many factors may account for its reception: The uninspired name doesn't express its movie's distinctive charm. The screenplay can be moralizing and obvious with the messages. The performances seem flat and presentational, as if the actors were reciting lines straight from the page. Moreover, the film comes during an era marked by financial anxiety and inequality, that could make viewers less receptive to a narrative that implies rich people enjoy every advantages while those in need have heart.
But, this is where the movie stands out: The film is original, daring, imaginative, often funny, and certainly timely. Plus, it provides an unexpectedly enjoyable Keanu Reeves character-driven experience.
Reeves in the role of Angel: A Familiar Performance
I have never considered Keanu Reeves a strong actor. His monotonal delivery and consistent expression of mild perturbation have always seemed one-note, regardless of the broad range of roles he has taken on during the last four decades years. Astute filmmakers have often cast Reeves in parts in which his stoic nature works perfectly, including his early work to the sci-fi classic to John Wick. But almost all of these roles called for him to appear hardened, closed-off, or detached.
In the film, the actor plays an angel, a minor protecting celestial being tasked with looking after people that text when behind the wheel. The character's whole duty involves remaining in their cars and lightly touching their shoulders when they are about to crash, warning the person so the driver brake in time. But, when standing high above the city, looking down upon the mortal world like a version of a celestial figure from Wim Wenders' classic movie Wings of Desire, Gabriel gets ambitious. He desires to become a great guardian and a savior of wayward souls.
A Unexpected Shift: Reeves Playing a Mortal
Therefore, Gabriel presents himself to struggling odd-jobber a character (portrayed by Aziz Ansari), who is living out of his car and cursing his life. The angel then exchanges the man with the life of stupidly wealthy businessman a character (acted by Seth Rogen). The point behind the experiment was that the character to understand Jeff's life comes with major downsides, and gratefully return to his own life, much like the figure from the classic film.
Problem was, the character right away discovers that the mogul's issues (boring meetings, a pricey heating bill) prove minor and easily resolved with wealth. Arj further sees that being rich opens up endless opportunities for self-indulgent enjoyment. He has no interest in returning to his own situation, and Gabriel is unable to compel him to go back. Then, additional trouble comes: Because of overstepping his duties and messing with the order of existence, the character loses his position from his celestial role, and turned to a human being.
The Revelation: Keanu Reeves Smiles
Personally, I remained never persuaded by Reeves as an angel with grand aspirations and a burning wish to effect change. He turns in a familiar vaguely stiff acting he has been offering for at least the past three ten-year periods. Watching Reeves in the role of angel that has just become mortal initially, however, was highly entertaining, due to something which truly surprised me initially: This is an element different for the actor. Or perhaps to be precise, an aspect from the past.
Early into his confusing career as a mortal, clinging to the wealthy character (who Gabriel exchanged with the handyman's precarious existence and jobless status), the character starts hesitantly experimenting with everyday activities like eating and swallowing meals. Then the actor smiles. Authentically, cautiously, happily smiles. (This is a lot more believable than his smile shown in the poster, which looks digitally altered.)
The Reason This Smile Matters
It truly surprised me to recognize how unexpected 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, irony, or resentment? He likely tries a smile somewhere in 2020's ill-conceived Bill & Ted Face the Music, but I'm not going to revisiting the disappointment to find out. Reeves has been stuck with serious, murderous, broody, or simply serious characters for so long that merely watching him smile seemed like observing a completely different performer.
While the plot progresses, the character finds himself having to get a dishwashing job, a role that doesn't pay sufficient for survival, and he starts smoking heavily due to frustration. Just the image of Reeves in a cheap paper food-service cap, with his late-career trademark locks pulled back in an unglamorous ponytail, slouching on a building and smoking a smoke, is worthy of the price of admission. His dishwasher attire totally changes his face and body: Unexpectedly, the slim, suited physical powerhouse of the John Wick movies is gawky, ordinary, and a lot increasingly relatable.
A Pleasure of Watching Keanu Relax
Good Fortune is not consistently fun to watch, especially when Ansari (who also authored the screenplay) must create believable explanations for {Ar
