Keanu Reeves: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

2. Don John - Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

If someone came up to you and tried to convince you that Keanu Reeves and Denzel Washington were half-brothers, chances are you would either laugh in their faces or send for the men in white coats. But that's exactly what Kenneth Branagh managed when he put the two actors together for his terrific take on Much Ado About Nothing. To briefly recapitulate, Much Ado is a story of romance based upon and confounded by confusion. Set on the island of Sicily, it follows two young couples: Benedick and Beatrice, who hate each other passionately, and Claudio and Hero, who are about to marry. The play involves Don Pedro getting the first couple to over-hear staged gossip about each other, that they might confess the love they did not know they had for one another. Sadly, his wicked half-brother Don John has other plans... Don John is one of Shakespeare's more underrated villains. Maligned by his half-brother, he seeks out of pure spite to sabotage a virtuous marriage by spreading rumours about Hero being unfaithful - rumours which are widely accepted and almost lead to Claudio's death. Reeves may not play villains very often, but he is very capable in this role, with his still delivery serving as a sinister counterpoint to Washington's mischievous smiles. It's an unusual choice but a gamble that pays off, with Reeves coming through well thanks to Branagh's guidance both on- and off-screen.