flights

I just watched the end of Something’s Gotta Give, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a good performance out of the reliably wooden, Keanu Reeves.

Alright, I only caught the last 15 minutes or so, but in his bits, Keanu had to manage subtlety. He arrives at a Parisian bistro to meet the older woman (Diane Keaton) he loves, to find that her old flame (Jack Nicholson) is seated across from her. Keanu sits down beside Diane Keaton, and over the course of the meal, he gradually realises she is still in love with Nicholson.

And he has to communicate this to the audience… with his face.

And he does this perfectly, and (I’ll say it again) with subtlety.

In our glib little discourses on pop culture, we come to rely on opportunities to make fun of things like the acting prowess of Keanu Reeves, and I imagine that some people are disappointed to see him defy their expectations.

I imagine plenty of these people could watch Something’s Gotta Give and deny that he actually did defy them.

But I say, go Keanu.