Keanu Reeves is famously one of the nicest guys in all of Hollywood. Whether he’s gifting each of his John Wick stuntmen a personalised Rolex, giving away most of his The Matrix paycheque or reading fun facts aloud to a van full of stranded passengers, there’s little doubt about his altruism. He’s the quintessential good guy, the standard to which all internet boyfriends, past and present, must be measured against.
But despite a career spanning multiple decades, Keanu’s acting prowess isn’t exactly as undisputed. Over the years critics have taken issue with the (apparently) stilted delivery of his lines, claiming that he’s become caged in his portrayals of the age-old himbo stereotype.
But it’s high time the world recognised a true talent: Keanu possesses the rare ability to reveal the humanity beneath even the most irredeemable men. As he returns to the big screen this month with the fourth instalment of yet another wildly successful mega-franchise, John Wick, we pay due respect to both the highs and lows of his illustrious career.
69. Me and Will (1999)
Let’s be frank: with the exception of Keanu’s five-second appearance in the intro of this film, along with his band Dogstar, this poorly-made indie project has pretty much nothing else going for it.
68. Ellie Parker (2005)
Another Dogstar cameo, but this time, Keanu’s appearance extends to one whole minute. Great!
67. Providence (1991)
All that exists of Keanu in this movie is this dodgy video of him making out with someone by a stairwell, as JD Cullum watches longingly from afar. And I’m okay with that.
66. Keanu (2016)
Clarence (Keegan-Michael Key) has a little too much fun at a party and ends up with the best possible drug-induced daydream: a meet-and-greet with Keanu in kitten form, who sadly has more wisdom to share in his 60 second appearance than the rest of the movie has in its entire runtime. Oh well.
65. Letting Go (1985)
This TV movie was Keanu’s first-ever bit role: here, he wreaks havoc at a local record store, thrashing about and playing air guitar in a way that would make Ted Logan proud.
64. Act of Vengeance (1986)
Young Keanu resembles a kid trying on his dad’s oversized office clothes, talking at length about mommy issues and the joys of putting his whole hand up a lady – before shooting the main characters to death. Joy!
63. SPF-18 (2018)
Keanu only appears — or is alluded to — in one of Letterboxd’s lowest-ranked movies a handful of times. Still, these are easily the best parts of the film by a long shot.
62. A Happening of Monumental Proportions (2018)
I am positive that Judy Greer only decided to throw in a Keanu cameo for shock value here, but that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate him bluntly asking Common to whip out his penis so he can compare their sizes.
61. Generation Um… (2012)
In this “feature-length expansion” of the Sad Keanu meme, Keanu plays the least memorable John of his career, who drives two sex workers around New York as they pretentiously drone on and on about their miserable lives. An easy skip.
60. 47 Ronin (2013)
Widely regarded as one of the most catastrophic cinematic flops of its time, grossing only $150 million against its $175 million budget, 47 Ronin was severely panned by Japanese and American audiences alike for the way Keanu inserted himself in a classic historical narrative. Turns out that sometimes, a genuine enthusiasm and love for martial arts simply isn’t enough.
59. Little Buddha (1993)
Darkening Keanu’s skin and making him speak in a botched, borderline-offensive accent was probably not the tasteful tribute to Siddhartha the producers had in mind. But it’s what happened, and we just have to live with it.
58. Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
In this largely-forgotten action film made by people who appear to have never used the internet, Keanu is a human flash drive, transporting dangerous information to the mega-corporations that control his dystopian world. Though he gives an earnest performance, the sheer ridiculousness of the narrative is enough to turn any rational filmgoer away.
57. Replicas (2018)
This ambitious sci-fi thriller places Keanu in yet another moral dilemma, as he plays a neuroscientist who clones his family after a fatal car accident and realises too late the repercussions of his actions. Sadly, he just doesn’t seem to be the “mad scientist” type.
56. Babes in Toyland (1986)
Though it may be tempting to watch him act alongside a fellow Hollywood darling, an 11-year-old Drew Barrymore, Keanu himself has suggested that we skip out on this Christmas-themed made-for-TV travesty.
55. Exposed (2016)
Embroiled in controversy and unanimously panned, the original version – a “surreal bilingual drama” that tackles issues like child abuse and mass incarceration – was reduced to this generic cop-thriller that not even Keanu could save.
54. The Watcher (2000)
Basically a two-hour-long episode of CSI, starring Keanu as the stereotypical TV psycho. Pass.
53. Feeling Minnesota (1996)
A rare display of Keanu’s complete lack of chemistry with a co-star, he plays a dirtbag who runs off with his brother’s new wife and starts a domino effect of complications that no one man could truly keep up with.
52. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1994)
Some things aren’t sweeter the second time around: case in point, Keanu’s second collaboration with My Own Private Idaho director Gus Van Sant in this tonally inaccurate take on Tom Robbins’ novel of the same name. Sigh.
51. The Whole Truth (2016)
This generic courtroom drama is the epitome of a filler role for Keanu. Next!
50. To the Bone (2017)
It is near damn impossible to create a sensitively made film about anorexia. But if it debuts at Sundance Festival with glowing praise and stars Keanu as an unconventional doctor who doles out words of affirmation, it must be somewhat redeeming, right? Well, no. Sorry.
49. Street Kings (2008)
Maybe it’s the fact that his character here goes against everything he stands for and embodies in real life, or that the movie could have used a few better editing choices. But Keanu just doesn’t convincingly sell his role of a foul-mouthed, trigger-happy vigilante cop.
48. The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
Keanu wasn’t given a lot of great material to work with in this B-movie, made during the peak of his “Whoa!” phase. Here, he plays free-spirited Rupert, who teams up with his much older love interest to kidnap his own father for ransom.
47. Knock Knock (2015)
Not even an Ana de Armas appearance could make this a worthwhile thirst watch – this so-called thriller is determined to make him endure unreasonable punishments for letting two strangers into his home.
46. The Bad Batch (2017)
In one of his more adventurous cameos, Keanu dons a moustache straight out of the 70s and plays a power-hungry cult leader aptly named The Dream. The only glaring problem with his performance is that we didn’t see more of it.
45. The Last Time I Committed Suicide (1997)
Admittedly, this is one of the harder watches on Keanu’s filmography, given the confusing storytelling structure and borderline predatory behaviour of its characters. But his portrayal of a brooding, soft-bellied bad boy (constantly wearing button-down shirts) makes up for the experience.
44. Flying (1986)
While we’re not sure if this was an actual movie or simply a collection of cheesy montages soundtracked to synth-heavy 80s music, Keanu manages to be lovable enough for us to not really care.
43. Youngblood (1986)
Starring alongside fellow pretty boys Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze, this run-of-the-mill teen movie showcases Keanu in perhaps his purest form: as a high school hockey player with a bizarre French-Canadian accent.
42. Siberia (2018)
Despite being booked and busy as an action star in front of the camera, Keanu has been interested in running the show from behind the scenes as well. In his latest producing credit – for this romantic thriller about the sketchy diamond trade – he relentlessly pored over and developed several iterations of the script, bringing a true “perfectionist’s approach” to the set. Sadly, not many kind words can be said about the movie itself, which still manages to be dull despite the fact that its plot is practically on steroids.
41. The Night Before (1988)
Keanu at his most impressionable, naive and lovable. Too bad his cuteness gets overpowered by a disturbing sex trafficking plot line and some unapologetically racist undertones.
40. Chain Reaction (1996)
Another film made in the era when filmmakers thought more convoluted plot lines equalled better science fiction. Keanu gives his best as a rocket scientist framed for murder but the movie boasts of stronger performances from co-stars Morgan Freeman and Rachel Weisz.
39. Henry’s Crime (2011)
Keanu’s trademark deadpan humour takes centre stage in this action comedy, where he plays a nice guy who gets entangled in a crime he ends up having to pay for.
38. The Brotherhood of Justice (1986)
Inspired by a true story of teenage vigilantes from Fort Worth, Texas, Keanu plays the gang’s original leader, who grapples with his position in the group after his members reveal abusive, racist tendencies. Considering that Keanu was white passing for most of his early career, this TV movie was a pleasantly surprising conversation starter about his Asian heritage.
37. Under the Influence (1986)
Another addition to Keanu as-a-problem-child cinematic universe: this time, he’s the son to an alcoholic father, whose actions take a toll on the rest of the family. Nothing particularly extraordinary about this role, except for his rendition of “Hungry Heart” that must be seen in full.
36. The Replacements (2000)
A by-the-book sports film about a down-on-their-luck football team consisting mostly of has-beens and untapped talents. Keanu’s inoffensive performance as a quarterback seeking to avenge himself may have been more memorable, had it not happened right after The Matrix and The Gift. A decent effort.
35. Hardball (2001)
Keanu finds himself on the other side of the field, this time playing the coach to an inner-city little league baseball team á la Dead Poets Society. It’s nothing new but hey, it’s definitely heartwarming to see not only Keanu reformed – but Keanu reformed because he is surrounded by kids that he comes to believe in! Aw!
34. The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
Whether or not this remake was effective or even necessary remains a topic of much contention, but one thing’s for sure: Keanu was perfectly cast as the soulless, emotionless alien that seeks to exterminate all of humankind.
33. Sweet November (2001)
There’s nothing those who grew up on Wattpad love more than a classic “I can fix him” success story. Sara (Charlize Theron) manages to turn Keanu’s Nelson, an advertising executive allergic to commitment, into a lovesick puppy wrapped all the way around her finger. Yes!
32. The Neon Demon (2016)
Though we do love seeing Keanu take leading man roles, he’s proven himself to be a brilliant character actor, given the right script. In this arthouse horror-thriller, he plays a suspicious motel manager whose intentions we can never truly decipher – just one of the many people we’re bound to meet, should we pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and decide to move to Los Angeles.
31. I Love You to Death (1990)
In this unofficial prequel to My Own Private Idaho, River Phoenix’s Devo enlists Keanu’s Marlon to kill someone who just refuses to die. Unfortunately, Marlon is stoned beyond consciousness, with impaired judgement and shooting skills, making him the worst man for the job – but the best addition to our dream blunt rotation.
30. Dracula (1992)
Keanu’s performance in this Francis Ford Coppola classic is memorable for many reasons, but primarily because of his historically inaccurate, heavily mocked accent. But why not remember Keanu’s valiant effort to keep up with the likes of Gary Oldman and Anthony Hopkins in his embodying of the reckless and impressionable Jonathan Harker? Or his display of decency towards Winona Ryder, who he refused to insult, despite the explicit orders of his director? That’s our Keanu!
29. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
After a slew of smiley, unserious roles, Keanu joins the ensemble cast of this 1993 Shakespeare adaptation as the antagonist Don John, carrying both a foul temper and a perpetual scowl on his face. While it may have been something of a miscast, the character was a refreshing venture outside of Keanu’s comfort zone, and a notable attempt to establish himself as a more serious actor.
28. One Step Away (1985)
Letterboxd stalkers will recognize this as Keanu’s first major onscreen performance – as well as the first of many as a troubled teen in search of his purpose in life. Despite it only being a short film, we can already see enormous potential: he unapologetically wears his heart on his sleeve, and in turn, we just want to pet him on the head and tell him everything is going to be okay.
27. Tune in Tomorrow… (1990)
Before Cher and Josh from Clueless started debates about their borderline-incestuous relationship, Keanu did it first in this 50s New Orleans-based radio romance, where he falls in love with his aunt (not related by blood, as the synopsis makes sure to state!) and becomes the centre of their town’s newest daily drama series.
26. Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
Although Keanu definitely has the face of someone who knows how to operate a microwave oven, he puts on a believable performance in this period drama predecessor to Cruel Intentions. Once again playing the role of a clueless bro – only in a different place and time.
25. DC League of Super-Pets (2022)
To this day, it’s still surprising that Keanu has never once fulfilled an actual superhero role or been invited to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe – but there’s a pretty good reason why he was chosen to be this animated hero. According to director Jared Stern, they wanted a Batman who was “a little bit off, [who] has seen some stuff in his life, and is a guy that could really use a pet.”
24. Toy Story 4 (2019)
It’s not hard to imagine that Canada’s greatest stuntman, Duke Caboom, was made with only Keanu in mind – given his badass job description, oddball comedic timing, and underlying vulnerability, of course.
23. The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009)
Every messy woman coming into her own needs a Manic Pixie Dream Boy by her side to serve as a means for self-discovery. And that’s exactly what Keanu’s Chris is to Robin Wright’s eponymous Pippa Lee – a cashier overflowing with rizz, who inspires her to want things for herself again.
22. Young Again (1986)
Not many people know that Keanu walked so that Zac Efron in 17 Again could run. In this criminally underrated early role, he lights up the screen. Though you may have to watch it segmented into several 10-minute 360p YouTube videos, I’d like to think it’s still worth it.
21. A Walk in the Clouds (1995)
In this romantic fantasy, Keanu proves he’s exactly the type of guy to bring home to meet your parents – literally. After meeting and saving a pregnant and dejected Victoria (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón) from aggressive guys on a bus ride, he pretends to be her husband to help her save face in front of her conservative Mexican-American family.
20. Parenthood (1989)
What did the lucky Martha Plimpton have to offer the gods in order to have Keanu play her aimless and affectionate boyfriend in this straightforward family film? Though he has trouble getting on her uptight father’s good side, Keanu wins our hearts over with his endearingly unsophisticated manner of speaking. Notable moments include when he comes to the defence of a young Joaquin Phoenix after his mother catches him masturbating. As he says: “That’s what little dudes do!”
19. Thumbsucker (2005)
In director Mike Mills’ first film, a high school student has trouble nipping his thumbsucking habit in the bud. Enter Keanu with some of his best character acting, as his eccentric dentist.
18. The Devil’s Advocate (1997)
Having to act alongside the brilliant Al Pacino in yet another career-defining role is no easy feat. But Keanu proves that he’s just as worthy of attention as the newest hotshot lawyer in a prestigious firm, who carries himself with just as much gusto and self-assurance expected of someone who just sold their soul to Satan.
17. Destination Wedding (2018)
Real-life married couple Keanu and Winona Ryder reunite on screen in this sardonic spin on the romantic comedy, where they play two strangers who go through the enemies-to-lovers pipeline against the backdrop of a picturesque destination wedding. Movies that play to this cliché can often feel one-note, but Destination Wedding keeps it fresh by having two of the industry’s most likeable stars prove that they, too, can be insufferable human beings just like the rest of us.
16. Freaked (1993)
In true brotherly fashion, Keanu does Alex Winter a solid and appears in his grotesque cult comedy as a “dog boy”, decorated in heavy layers of prosthetics and fake fur. The overall effect is slightly terrifying, but it’s hard not to be in awe of his commitment to such an outlandish character. The range!
15. Something’s Gotta Give (2003)
Almost twenty years since Nancy Meyers dropped this hall-of-fame level romantic comedy on us all and yet we still have yet to receive an answer to the question: how did Diane Keaton choose misogynistic music magnate Jack Nicholson over Keanu – the young, intelligent, sweet doctor who shops at the farmers market, knows how to deescalate lovers’ quarrels, and is genuinely interested in her extensive body of work? Scholars have been puzzled for years.
14. Constantine (2005)
Fans of the original DC Hellblazer comic were originally displeased with this casting: John Constantine was supposed to be a blonde, badass, British demon-slaying detective, after all! But Keanu brings his own flavour to the adaptation, straying away completely from the formulaic nature of modern superhero movies to create a rather misanthropic, secretly lonely hero, tormented by his hellish existence both above and below ground.
13. The Gift (2000)
While it feels like an artistic risk for Keanu to play a temperamental and genuinely terrifying wife beater who may be wrongfully accused of murder, he eerily disappears into the role. It’s a clear indicator of his gift – and an indication of the challenging types of antagonistic roles to come in the future.
12. Man of Tai Chi (2013)
To truly appreciate Keanu’s directorial debut, it’s best to simply see it for what it is: a love letter to the world of martial arts and an impressive display of his knowledge and skill. While the plot isn’t particularly inventive – a young fighter enters one underground competition after another for money and works his way up the food chain – his lengthy battle sequences serve as a laudable tribute to the many fighting styles that he draws inspiration from.
11. River’s Edge (1987)
This social commentary disguised as a teen film was one of the darkest movies to come out of the 80s, but Keanu’s portrayal of Matt was a beacon of light. As a juvenile slacker who struggles to cover up his friend’s criminal act, Keanu carries with him a heavy discomfort and communicates it masterfully through subtleties. Casting director Carrie Frazier even recalls knowing that he was right for the role based solely on “the way he held his body […] and how he looked like a young person growing into being a man”.
10. The Lake House (2006)
Movies involving any element of time travel are usually judged on the basis of their scientific soundness. But Keanu’s performance in The Lake House is enough to land this movie a perfect score in our book. He’s the mysterious Alex, who develops a soft spot for Kate (Sandra Bullock), the woman living in his house two years in the future. He is the perfect romantic leading man, guiding Kate throughout all the major clichés – the dance sequence, the big surprise gesture and, of course, the race to finally find and kiss the person you love – gracefully enough to have us excuse any glaring plot holes that may appear.
9. Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Despite only having 14 minutes of screen time throughout the film, Keanu is a certified scene stealer, game as ever to lean into the image we’ve all fashioned for him over the years. As he sashays around a restaurant clad in a custom-made Tom Ford suit, he saunters up to Ali Wong’s Sasha, breathily whispering that he’s missed her soul and her spirit. It gets even better once we find out that he helped write these jokes himself: director Nahnatchka Khan mentions that while they were talking about the character, “He just had so many funny ideas and pitches that we went back and revised the script with those in mind”.
8. A Scanner Darkly (2006)
Given the laidback, philosophical approach to art they seem to share, it’s surprising that Keanu and Richard Linklater have only collaborated on one project – this trippy rotoscoped sci-fi drama based on a 1977 Philip K. Dick novel of the same name. Keanu plays an undercover narcotics agent investigating dealers of a dangerous new drug called Substance D. Identities and allegiances shift once he is assigned to narc on himself, especially as he becomes increasingly dependent as a user. It’s a reality that Keanu explores with a keen sense of paranoia and claustrophobia, which makes for a wonderfully unsettling cinematic experience.
7. Point Break (1991)
An FBI agent goes undercover to infiltrate a gang of counterculture surfers who rob banks in president masks. Ridiculous premise aside, this explosive film has come to earn a cult classic status, as well as the admiration and respect of many action enthusiasts and surfing aficionados over time. Of course, we have Keanu to thank for that – along with his unparalleled devotion to the role, his unbridled passion for learning new tricks on the fly, and his effortlessly bromantic chemistry with the late Patrick Swayze.
6. Permanent Record (1988)
When a high school house party goes south, David (Alan Boyce) walks up to the edge of a cliff and plunges to his untimely death. Right behind him is his best friend Chris, played by Keanu, who lets out the most agonising, gut-wrenching scream as he struggles to find him in the water below. Throughout the movie, Keanu manages to capture attention in golden moments like this scene, to grapple with what it means to lose someone – all without sensationalising the topic of suicide, something that not a lot of actors or films in that era knew how to handle well.
5. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989), Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991), and Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)
Keanu was so credible as airhead Ted Logan that for many years this was the only image people held of him both in reel and real life. Playing alongside Alex Winter’s Bill Preston, the two embark on a journey across time and space for the sake of passing a make-or-break history test but emerge as the eventual saviours of the future. Their shenanigans span three films – all of which age incredibly well and prove to be powerful testaments to the power of creative imagination, friendship, and teamwork. What could possibly be more excellent than that?
4. My Own Private Idaho (1991)
Whether as an actor or as a person, Keanu has always maintained an air of unattainability. In Gus Van Sant’s loose interpretation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV, he plays Scott, a high-class hustler out on the streets while waiting for his inheritance to kick in. He breaks not only his best friend Mike’s (River Phoenix) heart with his cold and calculated approach, but ours as well as we struggle to decipher what lies beneath his façade and what we could possibly do to crack it. It’s understated, it’s easy to misunderstand – but it’s so effortlessly Keanu.
3. The Matrix (1999), The Matrix Reloaded (2003), The Matrix Revolutions (2003), The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
To point out the obvious, the cerebral science fiction series by the Wachowski sisters isn’t simply an action extravaganza: it deals with pointed questions about technology’s all-consuming power on our lives and how it affects the very foundation of human relationships. This required someone with a profound curiosity for the way both the natural and artificial world works and a weighty understanding of the consequences of being The One – thankfully, Keanu has all of that in spades, plus the choreography skills of a truly gifted martial artist.
2. John Wick (2014), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019), John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
Had any other action star taken on the role of John Wick – say Jason Statham, Bruce Willis or Vin Diesel – it would have easily been lost in the footnotes of their filmographies. This franchise needed Keanu and frankly, he needed it too: it’s widely considered as the one responsible for reviving his career and making him as loved as he is among members of younger generations.
When he’s in action mode, Keanu oozes magnetism as he performs stunning action choreography: he intimidates, he overpowers. But once the enemies fall and he retreats to his private quarters, he broods, he bleeds enough to show the underlying grief in his actions. We root for him because despite the extreme lengths he goes through each instalment, we are fully aware that he is just a man who has lost his love and the sole reminder he had of her, and is therefore desperate to do anything to move forward and reclaim his life.
1. Speed (1994)
In this fast-paced, perfectly-timed action thriller, Keanu is Jack Traven, an LAPD cop tasked with saving passengers onboard a bus rigged with a bomb, set to detonate if it goes below 50 mph. Of course, he is aided by an equally charming young lady (Sandra Bullock) and a sea of interesting characters that help add a light, comedic element to an otherwise ridiculous scenario.
Keanu is radiating charisma here with little to no effort, keeping the quippy one-liners to a minimum, and even finding time to pack on the chemistry with his leading lady. Over the course of its two-hour runtime, he fully sheds his established himbo image, while convincing everyone in the world to get a buzzcut.
Speed was the beginning of everything: it was the birth of an actor who commits to his work even and especially when it’s hard; who plays an honest everyman who just wants to do good by others; who makes the most out of larger-than-life scenarios.