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Aziz Ansari's directorial debut, the fantasy film by comedian Aziz Ansari, is struggling at the box office. Several reasons could account for the film's performance: The uninspired name fails to convey the film's distinctive appeal. Its screenplay is often moralizing and obvious with the messages. Its performances seem uninspired and staged, like the cast are reading dialogue straight from the page. Moreover, it arrives during an era of financial anxiety and inequality, which could render audiences not very receptive to a narrative that suggests wealthy people enjoy every advantages while the poor possess heart.

However, this is where the movie stands out: The film is unique, bold, imaginative, often humorous, and certainly relevant. Plus, it provides an unexpectedly enjoyable Keanu Reeves hangout experience.

Reeves in the role of Angel: A Familiar Portrayal

I have never regarded Reeves to be a good performer. The actor's monotonal speaking style and persistent expression of slight concern have always felt limited, despite his broad range of characters he's played over the past 40 years. Astute directors have often cast him in roles in which his rigidity works perfectly, including his early work to The Matrix to John Wick. Yet almost every one of these roles called for him to appear hardened, distant, and removed.

In the film, Reeves plays Gabriel, a low-level guardian celestial being assigned with watching over people that use their phones when driving. His whole duty involves remaining in their vehicles and gently making contact with the drivers' shoulders when they're close to have an accident, warning the person so the driver brake before impact. However, while standing overlooking the city, looking down upon humanity like an alternative version of the angel in the director's classic movie Wings of Desire, Gabriel becomes ambitious. Gabriel wants to become a great protector and rescuer of wayward souls.

The Surprising Shift: Keanu as a Mortal

Therefore, he presents his presence to struggling odd-jobber a character (portrayed by the director), who is residing in his car and cursing his situation. The angel proceeds to swaps the man into the life of stupidly wealthy tech mogul a character (played by Seth Rogen). The idea behind the exercise was for Arj to understand the wealthy man's life has major downsides, and thankfully go back to his own circumstances, much like a figure in It's a Wonderful Life.

Issue is, Arj immediately realizes that Jeff's problems (tedious appointments, a pricey heating bill) prove negligible and easily solved using wealth. Arj also realizes that being rich opens up endless opportunities for self-indulgent fun. He has zero desire in going back to his previous life, and the angel can't compel Arj to go back. Then, more bad news comes: For overstepping his mandate and disrupting the order of the world, the character is fired as an celestial job, and transformed into a human being.

The Revelation: Keanu Reeves Smiles

I was never persuaded by the actor playing an angel with grand aspirations and a burning wish to make a difference. Reeves delivers a familiar somewhat stiff acting he's consistently offering for at least the last three ten-year periods. Watching Reeves as an celestial being that has just turned mortal for the first time, on the other hand, was a blast, due to something which really surprised me at first: This is something different for Reeves. Or more accurately, an aspect from the past.

Early into the character's baffling career being a human, staying with the wealthy character (who the angel had swapped into Arj's precarious life and underemployed status), Gabriel starts tentatively trying out human activities such as eating and consuming meals. And the actor grins. Genuinely, cautiously, happily smiles. (It's far more convincing than the smile on the poster, that looks artificially added.)

Why This Smile Is Significant

It really surprised me to recognize how unexpected and welcome that expression felt. When was the last time we saw the actor smile in a film where he wasn't expressing malice, irony, or resentment? He probably tries it at some point in the recent ill-conceived the sequel, however I'm not revisiting the disappointment to confirm. Reeves has been stuck with grim, violent, broody, or just solemn roles for such a duration that just seeing him smile seemed like observing a completely new actor.

As the plot goes on, Gabriel ends up needing to get a dishwashing job, a role that fails to provide enough for survival, and he begins chain-smoking due to disappointment. Just the sight of the actor in a cheap plastic food-service cap, with his late-career signature locks tied in a plain ponytail, leaning against a building and smoking a cigarette, is worthy of watching. The dishwasher attire completely changes his face and posture: Unexpectedly, the slim, well-dressed physical powerhouse of the John Wick movies is awkward, unglamorous, and a lot increasingly human.

A Joy of Viewing Reeves Loosen Up

Good Fortune is not always fun to watch, particularly when the director (that also authored the screenplay) must find plausible explanations for {Ar