This Forgotten Mid-’90s Romantic Dramedy Stars a Young Keanu Reeves and Remains a Hidden Gem

For years now, there’s been a full-blown Keanu Reeves renaissance. Between Always Be My Maybe and Toy Story 4, fans have gotten to see Keanu’s skill in some unexpected places. With Reeves-led action franchises like John Wick and The Matrix, it’s a golden age for the actor. It’s rounded out by stellar supporting roles, like Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and his uncredited cameo in Severance. Everything’s coming up Reeves.

But with such an expansive filmography—and so many current projects to keep up with—there are hidden gems that show off Reeves’ impressive range and undeniable pull in a different way. There are many stand-alone, quieter performances dotting his filmography that true Keanu enthusiasts would be loath to miss. One of those films is the romantic period dramedy, A Walk in the Clouds.

‘A Walk in the Clouds’ Anchors Romance in Rich Visuals

Reeves plays Sergeant Paul Sutton, freshly home from World War II. He’s excited to build a life with his new wife, a woman he married in a whirlwind romance the day before his deployment. His dreams of certainty and family are dashed when he discovers his wife has moved on. It leaves Paul rootless. No longer a military man or husband, a gig as a chocolate salesman is the only thing he has left. And, lucky for us, that listlessness and lack of a destination makes way for plenty of sincere, puppy-dog-eyed moments, as well as valiant expressions of gallantry.

A chance meeting with Victoria (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon) on a bus out of Sacramento opens up a new world of romance and purpose for Paul. She’s undeniably beautiful but has plenty going on beneath the surface. She’s reading a literary analysis of Shakespeare for her master’s degree to pass the time on the bus. Her professor, a self-proclaimed free spirit, is the father of the child she’s carrying, and she’s afraid of taking this news to her family. This is where truly Shakespeare-worthy chaos begins—Paul offers to pose as her husband.

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“Yeah, I’m thinking I’m back.”

Director Alfonso Arau and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki first worked together on the surprise hit, Like Water for Chocolate. Similarly to that film, A Walk in the Clouds uses lush, tactile visuals to frame sensuality, romance, and familial legacy. Lubezki has made the mundane ethereal across films as varied as A Little Princess, The Birdcage, and The Revenant, and that range is well depicted in the 1940s Napa Valley. Paul’s nightmares of war are as dynamic as the film’s vineyard scenes are sensuous.

With an atmosphere that perfectly frames the rustic beauty of Victoria’s family vineyard as much as the two leads’ expressive gazes, even moments of bleaker realism still feel like fantasy. When frost threatens the grapes, Victoria’s family lights torches between vines and straps on makeshift, gauze-like wings. As Victoria teaches Paul the proper way to flit his arms—“like a butterfly”—to spread the heat down the vines, the film truly feels like a dream; it is grounded in reality by the affection and tension between the two leads. Whether he’s watching Victoria stomp grapes as flirtation, desperately pulling up the roots of a vine, or serenading her backed by a mariachi band, Reeves melts into the stylized romance and chivalry of the film.

Keanu Reeves Is a Perfect Romantic Lead in the Face of Conflict

A Walk in the Clouds isn’t shy about its romantic tropes. The pretend marriage trope is happily joined by a host of gestures and scenarios that would fit well into the most comforting of fan fictions. Paul and Victoria try to avoid sharing a bed, but her suspicious father starts checking up on them, so a shared bed it is. The last-minute fake marriage plan means there’s no proper ring, so Paul discards his real wedding ring and makes them a pair of matching gold bands from chocolate candy wrappers.

Even so, the film is more than fluff. Paul’s fears of abandonment rear their head throughout the film, with roots deeper than just the war. Victoria’s out-of-wedlock pregnancy was highly stigmatized in the time period, and the film never lessens her hesitation and caution for the sake of romance. Additionally, Victoria is never portrayed as hysterical or foolish for falling pregnant. Her father’s conservative leanings are acknowledged as the true threat that they are, and Paul takes both his behavior and Victoria’s warnings about them seriously. As Paul and Victoria grow closer together, it’s her father, Alberto (Giancarlo Giannini), who goes through the most personal struggle and change.

Through Paul’s eyes, Victoria, her family, and her vineyard are keenly observed but ultimately adored, even when the film takes its more intense turns. Every beat of conflict is well-paced and adds to the overall grain that makes the film so endearing. When something sets the romance off course, it evolves the visual language of the film. Moving through vineyards, the family home, village festivals, and more fraught acts of God that equally draw the eye. And as each conflict is dealt with, Reeves, Sanchez-Gijon, and the ensemble give richer performances. Each challenge conquered makes the romance sweeter, making for an ultimate comfort film that maintains a heady gravity.