Keanu Reeves’s Favorite (and Least Favorite) Keanu Reeves Movies

An indisputable star of modern cinema, Keanu Reeves is guaranteed box-office material. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1964, to an English mother and Hawaiian father, Reeves grew up in Australia, New York City, and Toronto before starting his acting career at a young age. Since then, he's appeared in numerous blockbusters over a staggering five decades. But what does the man himself think is his best work? 

Well, during a live Q&A session the actor conducted on Reddit back in 2022, Reeves was asked that very question.

Keanu Reeves’s Favorite Keanu Reeves Movies

One of the first movies Keanu picked out was River's Edge. This underappreciated crime drama was released back in 1986. It was directed by Tim Hunter, who is best known for having helmed episodes of popular TV series such as Breaking Bad, Deadwood, and Twin Peaks. The story is set in Northern California and follows a gang of teenagers whose lives are turned upside down when a friend murders his girlfriend. 

The movie also starred Dennis Hopper, and speaking to the Hollywood Interview, Reeves recalled: "Dennis was a really cool cat. He was such a professional and such a wonderful man. I’d see him socially sometimes, and his humor, warmth and intelligence were always great to be around."

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure is another film that made Reeves' list. The 1989 goofy science fiction comedy has become firmly established as a cult classic. It told the tale of two slacker high schoolers, as played by Keanu and Alex Winter, who travel back through history to assemble a cast of notable figures for a class presentation. 

Looking back, Reeves noted: “Over the years it’s been really nice to connect with people who love those characters and those films, and it’s been fun to hear from fans who have become parents who have shown it to their kids. The ebullient spirit of [Bill and Ted], the humor of the characters in the film, and the adventure they go on — I think it’s still funny.”

Three films in one made Reeves next choice – the Matrix trilogy. This groundbreaking series of movies made a huge impact thanks to their ultra-cool visual aesthetic and pioneering special effects. So much so that lines from the films have entered the mainstream of public consciousness.

Talking to Empire magazine, Reeves explained what first attracted him to the project: "It was the script…the writing first of all. The way that the characters speak and what they say. I loved the dialogue and the ideas in the piece. I was really struck by the storytelling."

Reeves also highlighted The Devil's Advocate – a 1997 horror film directed by Taylor Hackford, in which Keanu starred alongside Al Pacino and Charlize Theron. Reeves plays a young lawyer who gets a job at a major law firm, only to slowly discover that the firm's owner (Pacino) is far more than he seems. Keanu was so keen to work on the project with Pacino that he turned down an enticement to instead film Speed 2 and reportedly took a hefty pay cut so that Pacino could come on board.

Other movies selected by Keanu as being amongst his favorites include the 2006 animated dystopia, A Scanner Darkly, which was based on the novel of the same name by celebrated science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, classic surf crime flick Point Break, and the stupendously successful action movie John Wick.

Keanu Reeves’s Least Favorite Keanu Reeves Movie

One entry in his filmography that Reeves actively disliked is the action thriller, The Watcher. Released in 2000, the movie was directed by Joe Charbanic and co-starred James Spader.

In it, Keanu plays a retired FBI agent who becomes the latest target of a serial killer. In an interview with The Calgary Sun, Keanu explained: “I never found the script interesting, but a friend of mine forged my signature on the agreement. I couldn’t prove he did, and I didn’t want to get sued, so I had no other choice but to do the film.”

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