In 1994, he starred in the action thriller Speed alongside Sandra Bullock and Dennis Hopper. He plays police officer Jack Traven, who must prevent a bus from exploding by keeping its speed above 50 mph. Speed was the directorial debut of Dutch director Jan de Bont. Several actors were considered for the lead role, but Reeves was chosen because de Bont was impressed with his Point Break performance.[68] To look the part, Reeves shaved all his hair off and spent two months in the gym to gain muscle mass. During production, Reeves’s friend and his My Own Private Idaho co-star River Phoenix died, resulting in adjustments to the filming schedule to allow him to mourn.[68] Speed was released on June 10 to a critically acclaimed response. Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune lauded Reeves, calling him “absolutely charismatic […] giving a performance juiced with joy as he jumps through elevator shafts […] and atop a subway train”.[69] David Ansen, writing for Newsweek, summarized Speed as, “Relentless without being overbearing, this is one likely blockbuster that doesn’t feel too big for its britches. It’s a friendly juggernaut”.[70] The film grossed $350 million from a $30 million budget and won two Academy Awards in 1995 – Best Sound Editing and Best Sound.[71][72]
Keanu redirects here. For other uses, see Keanu disambiguation.
