You know the old joke: Keanu Reeves isn’t very smart. I mean, he’s an actor, for one, and unless he’s card-carrying member of Mensa (hey, Geena Davis), we all just assume he’s a big dummy. And it doesn’t really help that his breakthrough role was that of Ted Logan, one of the dimwitted high school metal heads in the classic ’80s comedy Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Even as a action hero in movies like Point Break, Speed, or The Matrix trilogy, Reeves has portrayed his heroes — all quite smart enough, presumably, to get the job done and save the day — with a sort of dimness. Maybe it’s a wide-eyed wonder he brings to his roles that’s easily mistaken for a low IQ? Or maybe his penchant for offering a befuddled “whoa” as a frequent line of dialogue? Nevertheless, audiences have never taken Reeves that seriously as an Oscar-caliber actor.

The thing is, though, that a quick look at his IMDb page proves that Reeves isn’t completely dim. On the contrary: his filmography offers a wide breadth of roles, a surprising versatility for a guy who has typically played the hero or a romantic lead.

Early in his career, Reeves starred alongside River Phoenix in the New Queer Cinema classic, My Own Private Idaho. In Gus Van Sant’s first film to bring him universal critical acclaim, Reeves played Scott, a gay-for-pay hustler whose character resembled that of Shakespeare’s Henry IV. Speaking of Shakespeare, Reeves is no stranger to the Bard’s words, having played the villainous Don John in Kenneth Branaugh’s star-filled adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing — a small role, yes, but a Shakespearean nonetheless. (Reeves has also played the much more arduous role of Hamlet on stage, as well.)

Something must be said for someone who can be a box-office draw in action films (that’s an understatement considering the caliber of action films Reeves has anchored) and make an effort to work in the independent film space. Sure, there are the big-budget box office draws that keep him afloat (putting it mildly, I’m sure), but for every over-the-top horror film like The Devil’s Advocate or cheese romance like Sweet November, there’s a small and sharp movie like The Gift or quirky and idiosyncratic teen dramedy like Thumbsucker.

And Reeves’ sense of humor shines through, particularly in a cameo in the Naomi Watts-starring Hollywood satire Ellie Parker or playing the much-younger paramour of Diane Keaton in Nancy Meyers’ Something’s Gotta Give. Even John Wick, a surprise hit last year in which Reeves played a retired hit man who returns to the field after his beloved puppy is murdered (that’s a REAL PLOT!) had, at its core, a silly self-awareness that proved it didn’t take itself too seriously. Does its star exude the same casual awareness? Is he in on the joke? It’s all conjecture, but I think that he is.

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Photos: Everett Collection