Over the course of his career, Keanu Reeves has become both a cult action hero and a darling of independent cinema. But one of his strongest and most underrated roles appeared back in 1986. The film River’s Edge never achieved the cult status of The Matrix or the mainstream love of Speed, but Anora director Sean Baker considers it Reeves’ best work.
"Well, yeah, I saw it on VHS back in the day. And this is like the mid-1980s, so every film that had to deal with youth was essentially in the John Hughes approach, which we all love, obviously. But this was a totally different approach, much darker. Much more real, it doesn’t have the nice wrap up ending at the end. This is a dark film that covers dark subject matter. And I also think it’s Keanu Reeves best film, by far, this is his best performance," recalls the Anora filmmaker.
What’s the film about?
Based on true events, the story follows a group of teenagers, one of whom kills his girlfriend. The rest are faced with a moral dilemma: turn him in to the police or help him cover it up.
Their reaction to the murder is disturbingly indifferent — as if the sense of justice and guilt has already ceased to exist for them. Keanu Reeves plays one of the few who still tries to resist the surrounding apathy.
Why was it forgotten?
Unlike many Hollywood films about youth, River’s Edge doesn’t offer easy answers or sugar-coat reality. It’s a harsh, depressing film without catharsis, where the teens don’t grow up or make 'the right choice' — they simply go on existing in a grim world where death has become routine.
Perhaps that’s exactly why the film faded into the shadows. But those who’ve seen it never forget. And if you thought you knew everything about Keanu Reeves’ filmography — this thriller will show you a completely different side of the actor.
