10 Incredible Movie Performances NOBODY Expected To Be Good

10. Keanu Reeves - The Gift

Much as everyone loves Keanu Reeves for his most iconic movie roles and thoroughly likeable public persona, few would dare to call him a great actor. 

Rather, he's a serviceable performer whose charms and commitment have nevertheless seen him win a bevy of coveted roles.

And at the turn of the century, a fresh-off-The-Matrix Reeves was cast in Sam Raimi's supernatural thriller The Gift, where he played the pivotal role of a scumbag abusive husband who is accused of murder.

But given the generally messy quality of Reeves' prior departures into dramatic fare, it was tough to accept that he truly had what it took to portray a monster, especially while working opposite a vastly more distinguished ensemble cast including Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi, Greg Kinnear, and Hilary Swank.

Yet Reeves surprised just about everybody here, bringing an intimidating quality to the table and even going further to make his character legitimately detestable. It remains Reeves' finest work, even if the movie itself is something of a mixed bag.