It has been nearly 30 years since Keanu Reeves has been a movie star, and while many of us have loved and watched him for the past decades, journalists and critics seem to have acknowledged his achievements just recently.
We know Reeves mostly from his breakthrough role in the Matrix franchise, but he has shown up in teen comedies and many action franchises. Why is everyone in love with Keanu Reeves? Well, his online persona has gathered quite a following, even though he is not actually online.
If you would rather see the best movies in which Keanu acted and go for a marathon, then, by all means, check out our top 20+ movies listed below.
You should watch (again) the Matrix franchise: The Matrix (1999), The Matrix Reloaded (2003), and The Matrix Revolutions (2003). “They had written something that I had never seen, but in a way, something that I’d always hoped for — as an actor, as a fan of science fiction,” said Keanu about The Matrix. This role defined his career. Click next to see the other movies Keanu acted in and what were his thoughts on some of his roles.
A Scanner Darkly (2006) is an odd film adapted after Philip K. Dick’s novel. H
He plays the role of an undercover cop who gets involved with a new drug that makes him feel like he’s lost his identity - partly because his bosses don’t know he is undercover and he has to spy on himself. This time, the dark forces are too powerful, ending with him actually be an anti-Matrix this time.
John Wick (2014), John Wick: Chapter Two (2017), and John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum (2019) are all amazing, and while the first one was a bit over-the-top, the sequels amp up John’s character, but the ‘retired’ assassin’s weariness, fury, and love for dogs is what we all love!
Speed (1994) is that movie we all saw in the late ‘90s, where most of the action took place in one single bus. Nonetheless, even if the plot sounded illogical, it did work out just fine.
Reeves is a serious cop, that would do anything to save the passengers on the bus while Sandra Bullock’s driving it and keeping that speed over 50 mph or the bus will explode. There’s also a lot of flirting during this dangerous mission…
Let’s face it, you probably watched The Devil’s Advocate (1997) to see Al Pacino and not Keanu, who was his attorney.
The devil was none other than Al Pacino and Reeves is Kevin Lomax, the main character in the movie, who just moved to Manhattan with his wife (Charlize Theron). He gets a job at Al Pacino’s law firm and then things get weird. Pay attention to Reeves accent while you watch the movie!
River’s Edge (1987) cast Reeves to play as an awkward young man, and he did exactly what he was told: “… his shoes were untied, and what he was wearing looked like a young person growing into being a man.”
Click next to see the more noteworthy movies that helped Keanu build his fame over the years.
Point Break (1991) is somewhat of a crime thriller, with a philosophical twist in which two men - Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) and Bodhi (Patrick Swayze) reconnect with the world around them while living life to the extremes.
My Own Private Idaho (1991) features Reeves as a young man that likes to float through live. Mike (River Phoenix) and Scott (Keanu Reeves) are two young street hustlers.
Mike is in love with Scott, but the latter doesn’t share the same feelings. The two go on a quest to find a place called home, and we get to experience a story of unrequited love and the life at the margins of society.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) and Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991) are the initial Beavis and Butt-Head that goofed on screen.
However, the Bill and Ted are funny, silly and not jerks. This is not something you see later in Reeves career!
The Gift (2000) has Reeves playing as an abusive father that is accused of murder, and might not be the one who did it.
It’s interesting to see him in a different role now that we all have agreed he is our hero. Wait until you see him hold a baby when he was just a young clueless teenager in the next movie.
Parenthood (1989) showed up nearly 30 years ago and it featured Steve Martin and Keanu Reeves.
Our young Keanu was the perfect image of a slacker that has no idea what to do in life. Check him out in this movie and you’ll see that he’s a bit more mature than what he’s letting on!
Constantine (2005) was a movie we especially loved because Keanu was in a different franchise from DC Comics, with his Constantine character seeing spirits on Earth and fighting to atone for his suicide attempt.
The rom-con we will never forget was perfect after the last Matrix movie in Reeve’s career. It was a new face of Keanu – as a supporting character.
He’s Julian Mercer, the doctor of Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson), a womanizer, and we all know how his love life will end.
Man of Tai Chi (2013) was the movie that Keanu Reeves directed.
Being a man of action, he surely loved adding a lot of it in Man of Tai Chi. His performance in the movie is perfect, and the narrative is quite straightforward.
Reeves made a short appearance in The Neon Demon (2016), as a motel manager that is actually a scumbag – something we don’t get to see Keanu play a lot.
One of his lines is “Why, did she send you out for tampons, too?!” – giving one of the guys a few tips on who to flirt with.
To the Bone (2017) has Reeves act as a doctor that sees the main character played by Lily Collins.
He is specialized in in eating disorders, and one of the memorable lines he has is: “No talk about food. It’s boring and it’s unhelpful.” The Netflix original drama offer an empathetic look on anorexia.
Destination Wedding (2018) is a movie we hold close to our hearts because it features Reeves and Winona Ryder who both had played in many movie together – check out their first at #1!
They meet at a wedding and are together miserable, bonding over it.
Reeves is the perfect romantic fling an older woman would consider getting involved with, and The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009) is a movie we’d definitely watch again and again just to keep on falling in love with young Reeves.
If you want to see a cult leader that is a bit goofy, go for The Bad Batch (2017).
He’s the villain you cannot actually take to seriously, but look at that moustache! The last one is a classic!
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) is an old-school movie in which Reeves didn’t act very good, but he was very young and inexperienced.
He did admit years later that he failed in Dracula, as it was a difficult role at that time: “My failure in Dracula. Totally. Completely. The accent wasn’t that bad, though.”