Critics Club II: 14 - Keanu Reeves

[Neon Ignition]

"He worked out his vote using a pencil... a f***ing pencil!"


Keanu Reeves




This should be a fun one as picking a stand out film here is harder when Reeves acting is so... consistent...

Vote for the movie you feel is their best whilst also discussing their other work, your reasons for voting and thoughts on what is their weakest.

Some will have very long lists so some trimming will be required to focus on the key entries but broadly the main selection will be available each time.

[Atticus]

The Matrix and Bill & Ted's are more iconic roles ... but I'm going for lovable cheese-fest Point Break. There's just something about it.

[Dogg Thang]

Keanu Reeves is such a weird one for me because it feels like he might be a really bad actor... and yet he works so well in so many roles. I honestly don't know if he is a bad actor or if it's that he is a really fantastic actor but just with his own understated style. And actually, it probably doesn't matter because the end result is the latter so I'm just going to call him a really great actor.

He has a bunch of great roles. Yeah, he is brilliant in The Fast and the... I mean, Point Break. Perfect in The Matrix. I was really impressed by him recently in John Wick and really enjoyed that. Speed, Johnny Mnemonic, A Scanner Darkly - I'm finding I can get more excited by many of his roles than I did with even bigger names in previous polls and that says a lot.

I went with Bill & Ted though. A true classic and he made it brilliant.

[MartyG]

I still find The Matrix watchable (less said about the sequels the better), but I find many of Reeves films aren't. It always seems like he was one of those actors who just got very lucky when plotted against talent. Similar sort of situation with Nicolas Cage.

[QualityChimp]

I <3 Keanu!

Bill and Ted 1 & 2, Matrix 1 & 2 and John Wick are all on the list.

I also enjoyed him in Man of Tai Chi recently.

He's a bit of a blank slate and some people say that's a bad thing, but you wouldn't want somebody like Robin Williams in The Matrix.
He'd be unconvincing in either wacky or series beardy mode.

Reeves worked perfectly.

I'll have a think, but The Matrix is a monumental achievement, even if I prefer Reloaded.

[Blobcat]

Went with Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.

Was torn between that and John Wick. Anyone who hasn't seen it yet really needs to.

[prinnysquad]

Keanu Reeves can be so watchable. He was great in Speed and The Matrix. Bill and Ted was an iconic role. I’ll plump for John Wick. It was a huge surprise to see him in a Western heroic bloodshed film, and perform it with such conviction. Great stuff.

He’s has a difficult life, but nobody seems to have a bad word to say about him. He seems to be very down to earth and humble.

[teddymeow]

Some entertaining films in this list:

The Matrix, both B&Ts, Speed, Constantine, Street Kings, John Wick.

Of all of them The Matrix gets my vote.

[Solar]

I don't actually like Keanu Reeves.There is some thing about his lazy speech that puts me off watching his movies.
I don't like his movies either.

[QualityChimp]

He’s has a difficult life, but nobody seems to have a bad word to say about him. He seems to be very down to earth and humble.

There seems to be loads of stories about him being lovely. Look!

https://www.theloop.ca/keanu-reeves-is-the-most-thoughtful-kind-human-being-on-the-planet-and-these-stories-prove-it/

I don't actually like Keanu Reeves.There is some thing about his lazy speech that puts me off watching his movies.
I don't like his movies either.

He'd probably only have nice things to say about you, Solar, and possibly pay for your lunch.

My favourite story is this:
"About 5 years ago my family went to visit my sister in LA. One day while we were there I got roped into watching my niece in a hair salon while my sister got her hair done.

So I'm sitting in the salon lobby, bored as ****, watching my niece and who walks in but Keanu ****ing Reeves.


At first I was kind nervous and freaked out, I'd just kinda glance at him every now and then, trying not to freak him out. But then my ****ing niece starts crying and fidgeting and **** and won't shut up. So I'm trying to keep my niece quiet and not bother Keanu, when oops, too late, he gets up and walks over to us.


He just smiled and stroked her hair, and asked me what was wrong. I said I didn't know. Then he looked at me with those penetrating blue eyes and simply said in that soothing voice "She seems like she's hungry."


Then he lifted up his shirt and breastfed my niece right there in the salon lobby.


True story."