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Keanu Reeves Joins Malcolm Venville's RomCom Henry's Crime

by Alex Billington
August 31, 2009

I'm sure some of you will say that it's better Keanu Reeves is cast in a romantic comedy than as Spike in the Cowboy Bebop adaptation. But I fear he'll still take on both roles, whether you like it or not. Variety has announced that Reeves will produce and star in Henry's Crime, a project being directed by Malcolm Venville, who's directing debut was the indie film 44 Inch Chest. In the Capraesque romcom, scripted by Sacha Gervasi (The Terminal), Reeves will play a bighearted man who is falsely accused of robbing a bank in Buffalo. The picture will be financed through private equity. No distribution has yet been set for the film.

Reeves is also producing Henry's Crime along with Stephen Hamel, who just started a new company with Reeves called Company Films. Shooting starts in November up in Buffalo. Reeves last starred in The Private Lives of Pippa Lee and is currently shooting a project called Stompanato. He's also still attached to Cowboy Bebop, the David Fincher Chef project, Universal's Jekyll & Hyde, and 47 Ronin as well, but this is obviously his very next project. I actually still have a subtle appreciation for Reeves as an actor, I don't hate him like most people, but I like him best when he's in sci-fi projects, not romcoms. Let's just get it over with, I guess.

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whomever

Woah.
Ben

Reeves is awesome. I appreciate anything he does... so to me it's good to see he is getting some decent projects.
shuri

Yes, he's still doing Cowboy Bebop. Watanabe loves him. In fact, you would not believe how much the Japanese in general love Keanu Reeves. Their movie magazines and fan polls always list him as second to Brad Pitt as their favorite Hollywood star. I think asians like him because he presents himself with an asian-like humility in their interviews. He's the only Western star to do things like bow deeply and sincerely to greet his interview hosts. He has really excellent reserved "Asian manners" which seems to put Japanese and other asians at ease. That's my theory anyway.
Sabes

I like Reeves, though the only movies he did good in was the first Matrix, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and Constantine. He does tend to play the same character though.
lachie

im a long time fan of bebop, and know how sometimes a great thing can be terribly reproduced into film, and im also a fan of keanu reeves. the only films that i think are crap are the matrix's 2 and 3. but i hardly blame him for that. if he just gets a bit lively in his role, and the director doesnt treat the idea of bebop like crap, it could be great. really im going to be more nervous of the directors choices then reeves acting skill
Donger

Say what you want. I've enjoyed more of Reeves movies than any other actor out there. Matrix, Street kings and Constantine to name a few.
http://www.whoaisnotme.net Anakin McFly

To Sabes: How can you have thought Keanu did good in The Matrix, Bill & Ted and Constantine AND THEN say that he always plays the same character? How are Neo and Ted and Constantine ANYTHING alike in personality? At all? ...My mind. It reels. To Mr. Billington - where did you get the info that he's currently shooting Stompanato?
Ramez

K's alright. I can think of 30 other actors that deserve the hate directed at him.
J

#7 has a point there Sabes
Sabes

Perhaps I should of clarified then "Anakin Mcfly" I'm sorry, but he's not very emotional in the movies I've seen of him. I said nothing about personalities. That's not what I meant when I said the same character. Of course all of these people are different. He pretty much has the same blank o.o face and monotone voice. I've never seen anything that has demanded a real performance of him. Perhaps there is a movie I haven't seen where he's done this though.
Da Rolth

Aye, Keanu Reaves is, in my opinion, a terrible actor. He's not bad at the simple act of reciting his lines, but that's about all he does. He doesn't have any range, he almost always plays the same character. The only reason Bill and Ted was good, and The Matrix was good, is because his stoned/confused "Dude... woah" style was perfect for those characters. Also why that style didn't work in the second and third Matrix movies, because at that point he was no longer supposed to have the confused "Woah" type attitude. lol Constantine is really the only movie I've ever seen him in where he broke out of his old acting habit a little bit, which I have to give him props for, he was pretty good in that movie. Everything else is exactly the same. *Stares blankly... glances side to side as if looking for some answers...* "Dude... woah..."
SuicidalOptimist

I don't know...Keanu Reeves is awesome in roles where he has little to no emotions, like Neo or Constantine (who was "empty and dead inside"). But every other role just feels weird to me. It might not even be his facial expressions as much as the tone of his voice, which is basically never changing no matter what his lines are. He has the perfect face to look all sad and hurt with his puppy dog eyes, but his voice and the monotony it ruins it, imo. Don't get me wrong, I like him, if only for a few movies. But I just think there would be better choices out there. *shrugs*
http://www.whoaisnotme.net Anakin McFly

I thought some of Keanu's best work were his 1980s/90s comedies, and those had far from any blank look in them. Like this 6 minute 1990 sketch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhhPT902eDI There's nothing unemotional at all about that. Meanwhile I agree with Lev Grossman when he said of Keanu: "His talent is hard to pin down, which is one reason a lot of critics think he doesn't have any. But they're wrong. Reeves can handle goofball comedy (the Bill & Ted movies), high drama (River's Edge, My Own Private Idaho), cockle warmers (Hard Ball) and the occasional romantic comedy (he really should have wound up with Diane Keaton in Something's Gotta Give)." - Lev Grossman, "The Man Who Isn't There" - TIME (US) - 14th Feb 2005 http://www.whoaisnotme.net/articles/2005_0221_man.htm because yeah, Keanu does have one of the greatest range of films I've seen - he's done just about every genre there exists, (and has said that this is intentional) with the majority - about a quarter - being in drama, and his greatest successes were spread over comedy (Bill & Ted), action (Point Break and Speed) and sci-fi (The Matrix), which is more than a lot of other actors can say. I find that he's got a very minimalist, understated acting style in which he usually just provides the template of a character and lets the audience fill in the rest, which I find intruiguing in that people - both fans and critics - can come away with such widely differing views of a particular Keanu performance depending perhaps on their ability to fill in the blanks of a character according to the guidelines Keanu provides. It's not bad acting - I've seen bad acting - but more of a different style than most contemporary actors, much as how the acting in many 1950s movies would today be seen as very over-the-top and unnatural. Regarding expressions, a few of us once compiled lists: http://z15.invisionfree.com/WINM_Forums/index.php?showtopic=4 http://z15.invisionfree.com/WINM_Forums/index.php?showtopic=5 - Anakin McFly Keanu SWAT Team
http://www.whoaisnotme.net Anakin McFly

(If there's a double post, apologising in advance; it didn't appear and I think it might be because of links.): I thought some of Keanu's best work were his 1980s/90s comedies, and those had far from any blank look in them. Like this 6 minute 1990 sketch 'Two Lost Souls', which is available on Youtube. There's nothing unemotional at all about that. Meanwhile I agree with Lev Grossman when he said of Keanu: "His talent is hard to pin down, which is one reason a lot of critics think he doesn't have any. But they're wrong. Reeves can handle goofball comedy (the Bill & Ted movies), high drama (River's Edge, My Own Private Idaho), cockle warmers (Hard Ball) and the occasional romantic comedy (he really should have wound up with Diane Keaton in Something's Gotta Give)." - Lev Grossman, "The Man Who Isn't There" - TIME (US) - 14th Feb 2005 because yeah, Keanu does have one of the greatest range of films I've seen - he's done just about every genre there exists, (and has said that this is intentional) with the majority - about a quarter - being in drama, and his greatest successes were spread over comedy (Bill & Ted), action (Point Break and Speed) and sci-fi (The Matrix), which is more than a lot of other actors can say. I find that he's got a very minimalist, understated acting style in which he usually just provides the template of a character and lets the audience fill in the rest, which I find intruiguing in that people - both fans and critics - can come away with such widely differing views of a particular Keanu performance depending perhaps on their ability to fill in the blanks of a character according to the guidelines Keanu provides. It's not bad acting - I've seen bad acting - but more of a different style than most contemporary actors, much as how the acting in many 1950s movies would today be seen as very over-the-top and unnatural. - Anakin McFly Keanu SWAT Team
Sabes

I didn't mean to cause a debate or whatever. I have my thoughts on acting about him, but I do like him, don't get me wrong. Maybe it's that monotone/mysterious nature about him. *bats eyelashes* lol Oh, and that "Two Lost Souls" sketch was cute.
SS

This is actually very intriguing.. if you said Henry's Crime was a thriller or action picture.. then it would sound commonplace... .But as a Romantic Comedy? With a crime element? Hadn't seen that kind since "Her Alibi".
http://www.whoaisnotme.net Anakin McFly

Henry's Crime is apparently an 'existential comedy' and the story was apparently Keanu's idea, like his other upcoming films Passengers and Chef. Both those scripts were awesome - especially Passengers, which Keanu hired Jon Spaihts to do the actual writing of - and so I have high hopes for Henry's Crime. I also like how it appears to be part wish-fulfillment, since Keanu has said that one of his teenage fantasies was robbing a bank because of the thrill of planning the perfect heist. From another article on Henry's Crime: "It's a twisted, romantic comedy, very dark and funny and Keanu is the lead," Gervasi told The Playlist. "Keanu Reeves plays a Buffalo toll booth attendant in the middle of an existential crisis," he said and note: Gervasi talked about heist elements and a famous and tragic work by Russian playwright Anton Chekov that's part of the whole deal. http://www.whoaisnotme.net/articles/2009_0414_kea.htm
Louis Hawkins

Im a looking to get casting call info for the movie Henry's cry. I will like any role or be a stand by
Sandy

I love him as a person and an actor. He plays pool with his career, it's mathematical and passionate, which is gutsy and I think you will find he is one of the most successful actors in history, so I guess people don't hate him do they.
http://amomentofyourtime-phaseii.blogspot.com Dawn M. Nevills

Such a talented, interesting human being...and two really intriguing looks: Sparhuzen: My inner Sweden exploded out of my head like a blowhale....and I am communing with my Inner Personal Saviour. How can you not love this man? I just want to braid him continuously as a person, and put him on a pastry, or something.....sigh.... Ahem. Also, when he stops saying "you know", in interviews, the thrilling timbre of the voice, upon which the world hangs, ergo, for the next errant pearl, sound like warm caramel sauce on....well....really everything.... I think that about covers it.
http://www.companyfilms.com Keanu Reeves

EMAIL me whores at info@companyfilms.com i'll fuck you for a fee....I will pay you for the nightmare you will experience!

Ewa-Salomea

Although you are extremely vulgar I still love you.

John Fleshpiston

I think that Keanu Reeves is a no talent ass clown. My cock has more acting talent than he does. Speaking of...I'm pretty sure that Keanu Reeves loves the cock. Maybe he should have died in the making of Speed, kind of like Brandon Lee did...but not tragic at all cause he is a shit dick worthless actor.