Keanu Reeves‘ profession within the leisure trade has been marked by each dramatic highs and lows. Whereas recognized throughout the globe for his iconic roles in The Matrix trilogy and later within the John Wick movies, Reeves has additionally taken on smaller initiatives that slipped quietly beneath the radar, or, on this case, panned into oblivion. Technology Um… was launched in Could 2013, and at the moment holds an astoundingly dismal 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The unbiased drama tried to showcase a quieter, extra introspective aspect of Reeves. As a substitute, it went on to turn out to be one of the crucial critically derided entries in Reeves’ filmography.
Directed by Mark Mann, Technology Um… was pitched as a slow-burning character examine of three souls drifting in New York Metropolis. Nonetheless, the place some indie movies are capable of thrive on quiet environment and uncooked authenticity, Mann’s undertaking faltered beneath the load of its personal vagueness, with viewers discovering it meandering, tedious, and finally pointless. But, regardless of absolutely the flop in Technology Um… Reeves went on to reinvent himself spectacularly simply 17 months later with John Wick (2014), demonstrating how the precise function on the proper time can fully reshape an actor’s trajectory.
Keanu Reeves Performs a Indifferent Observer in ‘Technology Um…’
In Technology Um…, Reeves performs John Wall, a middle-aged driver for an escort service who spends his days wandering New York Metropolis aimlessly. Removed from his extra well-known action-packed roles, John is depicted as a quiet, melancholic determine drifting with out goal. He data trivial pictures on a handheld digital camera, interacts halfheartedly with the 2 girls in his life, and displays on his previous by way of awkward, rambling conversations. On paper, the premise of the movie hints at a meditative indie portrait of city alienation. But, in actuality, it left each audiences and critics scratching their heads, unable to narrate to both the character or the plot of the movie.
Admittedly, Reeves’ efficiency as John Wall was not the central concern of the movie. Many agreed that the successfully conveyed the temper that the script demanded, portraying his character as each indifferent and stressed. But, John is structured as a personality that’s so emotionally opaque and static that his arc by no means feels absolutely developed. With little to no dialogue and lengthy stretches of silence, Reeves’ presence within the movie looks like background surroundings somewhat than the emotional anchor of the movie, and though John’s indifferent power was meant to depart audiences feeling contemplative, it left them feeling chilly and unmoved as a substitute.
The function of John Wall was represented as a deliberate departure from mainstream expectations for Reeves. On the time, he was exploring smaller, extra experimental initiatives to stretch his vary past motion blockbusters. Nonetheless, the selection additionally got here at a value. Technology Um… lacked the spark, depth, or perception wanted to raise his efficiency into one thing memorable. As a substitute, it merely bolstered stereotypes about Reeves being unhappy and melancholic, cementing John Wall as one of many least impactful roles in Reeves’ profession.
Why Did ‘Technology Um…’ Flop?
What finally led to the doom of Technology Um… was its incapability to steadiness environment with substance. Director Mark Mann framed the movie as a uncooked, vérité-style exploration of metropolis life. But, the ultimate consequence was an unfocused assortment of half-formed concepts that appeared stitched collectively with out momentum or payoff. The narrative of the movie consists primarily of John recording video footage of his environment, interspersed with social gathering scenes and fragmented conversations. This lack of clear development made the film really feel extra like a sequence of disjointed, deserted scenes somewhat than a coherent story.
Critics have been almost unanimous of their disdain. Rotten Tomatoes lists the movie at a flat 0%, a uncommon prevalence that indicators a common failure. The movie fared no higher on Metacritic, with a paltry 25/100, and reviewers slamming it as pretentious and graceless. Moderately than pulling audiences into an introspective exploration of contemporary melancholy, Technology Um… left them stressed and disengaged. Even Reeves’ subdued charisma was not capable of compensate for a script that appeared allergic to each battle and backbone. As critic Todd Jorgenson writes:
“Whereas Reeves brings extra depth to his character than the script warrants, the movie general lacks compelling characters and winds up miserable as a substitute of profound.”
Whereas many indie dramas depend on minimalism and delicate gestures to say one thing profound, Technology Um…’s try to take action framed stillness and silence as one thing empty somewhat than significant. In failing to offer an emotional payoff, the movie drifted into tedium, leading to a movie that light in a short time into obscurity and was overshadowed nearly instantly by Reeves’ subsequent huge undertaking.
Keanu Reeves Had a Swift Resurrection with ‘John Wick’
If Technology Um… represented one of many lowest valleys in Reeves’ profession, John Wick represents the towering peak that adopted. Launched simply 17 months after Technology Um…, the gripping motion thriller launched Keanu as a retired hitman pulled again into the underworld after a brutal private tragedy. The movie’s sharp course, gritty visuals, and ruthless motion choreography have been instantly embraced by critics and audiences alike, evidenced by the stellar 86% critic score and 82% viewers score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The important thing distinction between the failed Technology Um… and the resoundingly profitable John Wick lies in readability and conviction. The place the previous meandered with no vacation spot, the latter delivered a tightly wound revenge narrative with common emotional stakes. Reeves’ efficiency was each restrained and explosive, hitting the right steadiness of grief and managed fury. John Wick tapped into Reeves’ stoic, melancholic persona, however actually steered it in a course that resonated with audiences, permitting the character of Wick to turn out to be the perfect outlet for Reeves’ distinctive mix of vulnerability and deadly precision.
Keanu Reeves’ involvement in Technology Um… is a captivating reminder of how even main stars can stumble when the fabric fails to attach. The movie’s empty silences, muddled pacing, and lack of narrative goal turned what maybe might have been a considerate dive into the human psyche right into a extensively ridiculed, forgotten misfire. With its 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes and scathing critiques throughout the board, Technology Um… stands as one in all Keanu Reeves’ most notable flops to this point.
Technology Um… is out there to stream on Netflix.