Keanu & Co. Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		2.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.0

Keanu & Co. Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 31, 2025

“Keanu & Co.” is the official title of this Blu-ray release, but Keanu Reeves is barely featured. The once and future Ted Logan plays only a small part in the Canadian shorts collected here, as the spotlight is actually trained on director Robert Fortier, who worked throughout the 1980s to bring social and emotional issues to viewers through the “Family Crisis Series” and assorted offerings. The idea is to present moments of strife and confusion, highlighting the troubles of others plowing through their issues, with hopes that perhaps seeing such difficulties will help illuminate viewers. Three shorts are presented as the main program the disc, with 1986’s “Out of a Job,” 1985’s “One Step Away,” and 1985’s “Running Scared” supplying a range of Fortier’s work during the decade. Fans of Reeves aren’t left with much beyond “One Step Away,” which represents the star’s debut lead role, giving the set a little spark while the offerings delve into tumultuous feelings and strained relationships.

Shorts:

“Out of a Job” (28:52) tracks the frustrations of Richard (Dan Lett), a recent college graduate ready to start his adult life, only to struggle when hunting for employment. Richard lives at home with his concerned parents and computer whiz brother, and he faces embarrassment after running into a high school classmate, putting pressure on the young man to recognize the reality of his situation and do something about it.

“One Step Away (28:47) finds Elaine (Diana Belshaw), a struggling mother, concerned about her juvenile delinquent son, Ron (Keanu Reeves). After his latest arrest, Elanie doesn’t know how to deal with her child, while Ron rejects society, preferring to run away and make it on his own. However, such a decision isn’t easy on the teen, while his mom is left to handle financial ruin and landlord pressure due to Ron’s behavioral issues.

“Running Scared” (27:36) follows Paul (Stephen Mendel) as he tries to enjoy a relationship with Cathy. Burned by a previous breakup, Paul wrestles with severe jealousy issues, growing obsessed with Cathy and violent toward the men who interact with her. As he prepares to leave on a work trip, Paul’s mind burns, unable to restrain himself while Cathy enjoys herself at home.

Of the three shorts offered here, “Out of a Job” is perhaps the most relatable. Fortier strives to connect viewers to Richard, a nice guy having difficulty landing work in his chosen field, facing the humiliation of this perceived failure and all the pressure of home life. The short taps into the agony of exposure, especially when Richard starts lying to protect his reputation, and there’s a bit of parental woe as well, finding Richard attempting to communicate with his father, who doesn’t know how to express his concerns to his son. While nothing on “Keanu & Co.” is particularly stunning, “Out of a Job” gets closest to emotionality, while “One Step Away” also scores with its depiction of teenage waywardness. Ron’s a seemingly decent kid struggling with behavioral issues and bad influences, but Fortier also makes time to understand the toll taken on Elaine, who doesn’t know what to do with her kid anymore. There’s an arc of awakening that’s interesting to follow, as the helmer is determined to maintain some form of hope. And there’s Reeves, who does a capable job portraying adolescent irritability.

“Running Scared” is the least effective of the shorts, closing out “Keanu & Co.” with a tale of obsession that almost plays like a horror film when it isn’t being overly melodramatic. It’s effective as a study of abusive relationships, but there’s not much psychological depth to enjoy, and Fortier makes a curious choice to include an actual threat to Cathy’s safety, inadvertently justifying Paul’s fixation on her whereabouts.

Keanu & Co. Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation covers three shorts for "Keanu & Co." The offerings are listed as "scanned and restored in 2K from the 16mm interpositives by the National Film Board of Canada," and the first short, "Out of a Job," looks the most film-like, with slightly chunkier grain. The other two, "One Step Away" and "Running Scared," struggle with AI processing, which works to eliminate texture from the image, smoothing out frame information. There's a "painted" quality to the viewing experience, which isn't welcome. Colors on all three shorts offer acceptable hues, exploring cooler urban areas and greenery. Costuming brings out brighter hues, along with decorative additions in homes and businesses. Skin tones are passably natural. Delineation is acceptable, with some flatter blacks. Sources are in decent condition, with some jumpy splices on "Out of a Job."

Keanu & Co. Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD offers a simple understanding of dialogue exchanges, which remain crisp throughout all three shorts, preserving performance choices. Scoring supports with clear instrumentation, and a few soundtrack selections secure defined vocals. Atmospherics are appreciable.

Keanu & Co. Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historians Paul Corupe and Jason Pichonsky.

• "Excellent Adventure" (10:56, HD) is a video conference interview with actress Diane Belshaw, who discusses her career at the time of making "One Step Away," building a resume in television and theater. Memories from the shoot are shared, creating the short with a small crew and a short amount of time. Thoughts on director Robert Fortier are offered, and characterization is explored, as Belshaw was tasked with playing a mother. Time with co-star Keanu Reeves is recalled, dealing with a very young actor who stayed in character and maintained intensity. Life after acting is also identified, turning to teaching, and the interviewee shares her feelings about "One Step Away."

• "Job Well Done" (13:52, HD) is a video conference interview with actor Dan Lett, who tracks his professional development in Canada, leading to a part in "Out of a Job." The interviewee offers his memories of working for director Robert Fortier, responding to his commitment to the job, and he also used the actor's ideas during the shoot. Co-stars are assessed, along with the passage of time, as Lett identifies the differences between his younger and older self. Professionalism is examined, and the thespian reflects on the story and meaning of "Out of a Job."

• "On the Job" (17:53, HD) returns to actor Dan Lett, who offers memories and anecdotes from career highs and lows. Films include "Mrs. Soffel," "Blue Monkey," "Paris, France," "The X-Files," "Whale Music," "Net Worth," "Double Take," "Blind Faith," "Strange Justice," "Cavedweller," "Maps to the Stars," "Born to be Blue," "X-Men: Apocalypse," "The Shape of Water," "Georgetown," "Nightmare Alley," and the television show "Made in Canada."

• "Unsettled on the Set" (10:40, HD) is a video conference interview with actor Stephen Mendel, who achieved some success on American television networks, returning to Montreal to find renewed interest in his career. The interviewee discusses his time on "Running Scared," and he details his troubled relationship with director Robert Fortier. Characterization and on-set memories are offered, putting Mendel in some awkward positions as technical demands clashed with his thespian needs.

• "An Actor Remembers" (12:25, HD) returns to actor Stephen Mendel, who offers memories and anecdotes from career highs and lows. Films include "Tomorrow Never Comes," "Hot Dogs," "Fire and Ice," "The Vindicator," "Stepfather III," "Scanner Cop II: The Showdown," "Exception to the Rule," "Jack Frost," "The Terminal," and "Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie."

• Short Films collect "A Single Regret" (1983, 21:42), "A Gift for Kate" (1986, 27:49), "The Painted Door" (1984, 23:56), "Going to War" (1985, 23:53), "End of a Summer Day" (1972, 8:48), and "One Step Away" (1985, 28:57), which is presented in SD.

Keanu & Co. Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Again, "Keanu & Co." doesn't feature much Keanu Reeves, which is somewhat disappointing. The upside here is exposure to additional Canadian Film Board shorts and the work of Fortier, who attempts to provide some level of sensitivity when dealing with intimate issues facing everyday people just trying to locate a bit of emotional and physical stability.