robin2099

No actor has managed to do more with less than Keanu Reeves. The man isn't a good actor by any stretch of the imagination and oftentimes lacks charisma. And yet, he's one of the few actors who can still headline a movie and has done so in three different decades. In honor of John Wick 2 coming out soon, lets look back at his career.

After doing TV movies and episodes in the early 80's he got his first noteworthy role in River's Edge. After that he did some more minor work including Babes in Toyland with a young Drew Barrymore and Youngblood with Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze before being cast in Permanent Record another notable role. In 1989 he would go on to his most noteworthy role as Ted Logan in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and as Tod in Parenthood.

At the start of the 90's he got another big break by playing Johhny Utah in Point Break. In 92 he was cast in Bram Stoker's big budget remake of Dracula and did serious roles in 93. In 94 he had the second biggest break of his career starring in Speed. A role which was passed on by every other big name in Hollywood. Johnny Mnemonic was a misfire in 95 but he did one incredibly smart thing and passed on Speed 2. In 97 he had a hit with The Devil's Advocate and in 99 he had another career making role in The Matrix. Between 99-2005 he had hits with the Matrix sequels, The Replacements and Constantine.

After Constantine however his career stalled out until 2014 when he yet again had a popular and notable role with John Wick which was a small box office hit. Now we have a sequel in 2016. He's also notable for being one of the nicest and most laid back guys in Hollywood. He doesn't have a mansion, drive fancy cars or wear fancy clothes. He donated his backend points from the Matrix to the visual effects artists, and even donated millions of dollars to chemo research after his sister died. Hell a video of him giving up his seat on the subway in New York to a lady standing even went viral.

Don't need a top five in this one because everyone knows what his best movies are.

TGM

It's like every decade or so he has a massive hit which spawns a couple of sequels, and then everything else is just mediocre shit.

Bill & Ted
The Matrix
now John Wick

John Wick was so much fun that I forgive him for his intermittent mediocrity.

Goat3001

I don't know if I would ever go to a see a movie specifically because it started Reeves but for the most part, all his flicks are pretty enjoyable.

Plus he's an easy guy to root for in general. I think he had a pretty rough life which led to him being rather generous with the loads of money he's earned in his career.

fumanstan

I'm a big fan. It's funny knowing how poor he is as an actor but he's consistently in entertaining movies and there's just a certain charm about him on screen that I even enjoy movies like The Lake House and The Replacements.

The Matrix remains one of my favorite movies of all time, and things like Bill and Ted, Speed, Point Break, and now John Wick are endlessly rewatchable for me.

covenant

And he can really...I mean really, shoot:
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inri222

I've met him in person and he's really cool, but as an actor he's atrocious. I like some of the movies that he's in, but not because of him. He can be good when surrounded by talent in smaller roles where he doesn't have to do the heavy lifting like The Gift, The Neon Demon, My Own Private Idaho and River's Edge.

Mabuse

I recently debated on here about Meryl Stree and how despite her excellent acting chooses mostly lame movies to be featured in. Reeves is the exact opposite! He's a bad actor who has been in 4 indisputably great flicks. Bill & Ted, Parenthood, Speed, and The Matrix. That's a great job picking roles.

csant

I absolutely love Constantine... its one of my favorites that if while channel surfing and it's playing. I leave it and watched it every time.

The first Matrix is right up there on my list. Loved John Wick and can't wait for part 2.

DVD Josh

A friend told me a few years ago about the time he was in some coffee shop and all the seats were taken. He heard a male voice say, "you can sit here." It was Keanu. He said they talked for about 20 mins and the guy could not have been more gracious and polite. Seemed like Keanu was just happy to have a normal conversation with someone.

I enjoy his movies FWIW.

Maxflier

I have much love for this dude. Actually saw a video just this morning about the troubles he has had to endure.


I like that one a lot as well. He and Sandra Bullock have incredible chemistry IMO.

Dan

My wife makes fun of me because I kinda like that flick.

fumanstan

Yeah it's funny, his acting is bad in it and the premise makes no god damn sense but there's just something sweet about him and Sandra in it.

inri222

With those skills, if his acting career tanks he can always get a job in New York working for the Russians as a hitman.

Dan

Agreed. As for it making no sense, well... it is based on a Korean love story, Il Mare.

Mabuse

Are you guys talking about the magic mail box movie?

GoldenJCJ

He can't act for shit but he's made some really fun movies. Point Break is a personal favorite of mine. Ive never been a huge fan of The Matrix but I can't deny it's impact on movie lovers.

And everything I've heard about him in real life he's a truly wonderful person. There's a video floating around Facebook that talks about his tough life and how humble and generous he is. There's also a video of him giving up his seat on the subway to a random stranger, which IMO, says everything I need to know about the man.

Defiant1

He is a bad actor but he still has this undefined quality which makes him quite watchable.

For some real laughs, watch Keanu in Dangerous Liaisons, where he is blown off the screen time and time again by Glenn Close and John Malkovich at the top of their games. It still works though as his character is supposed to be a naive featherweight unknowingly playing with two vipers.

Ash Ketchum

I loved BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE and THE MATRIX.

I liked SPEED a great deal and had a favorable response to LITTLE BUDDHA and BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA.

That's about it.

thematahara

Insanely watchable.

Honestly, his acting has never really been a problem for me. For the most part he does a good job of picking roles that play to his strength. Point Break is all time great.

To me he is like Tom Cruise, minus all the crazy real-life non-sense, usually picks good roles and just a natural charisma that makes almost everything watchable.

Top 10 favorite actor for me.

Ky-Fi

That's a good way to put it. I don't seek out movies with him in it, but he's made enough entertaining ones that I don't dismiss one just based on his involvement.

Groucho

I've heard that one of the reasons he has sustained such a long career is that he's very easy to work with and gets along with everybody on the set. People love having him around, so why not cast him over some demanding star-of-the-week type?

Cusm

He was great in Parenthood, and Bill n Ted. After that I really couldn't stand him, he almost ruined Dracula, but the rest of the cast and crew saved it. Then I saw Constantine and loved it and John Wick is one of those movies I will watch any time it is on. As a person he seems to be incredible human being.

DJariya

Speed is my all-time favorite Keanu movie.

Hard to believe that was 23 years ago. I think that movie set the standard for a lot of adrenaline pumping popcorn action movies nowadays.

He may not be a good actor, but he's very watchable and likable in this films.

Defiant1

Yes he is apparently very nice and undemanding. Tom Cruise is apparently another who is quite professional, as long as the director (unless he is Spielberg-caliber) recognizes that Tom is #1 on the set.

OldBoy

I've always liked him as an actor. His tendency to be very rigid and stiff acting, I think it suits and works for him. I've liked him since River's Edge. His brief cameos in some movies, Something's Gotta Give. Others like The Gift, The Watcher, Devil's Advocate (a personal fave), love The Replacements...