Made in 2000, in between The Matrix and its two sequels Reeves had a bash at playing a bad guy, with some limited success. In The Watcher he plays a serial killer who strangles his victims and has an obsession with the FBI Agent that had once hunted him through the streets of Los Angeles.
Plot and Cast
Retired FBI Agent Joel Campbell (Spader), now living in Chicago, is trying to come to terms with his failure to capture a serial killer (Reeves) whilst he was working in Los Angeles. The killer was indirectly responsible for the death of Joel’s girlfriend as well as murdering a number of young women. Joel has no friends and no social life, although, he does attend therapy sessions with therapist Dr. Polly Beilman (Marisa Tomei).
A woman in Joel’s building is murdered but he pays very little attention until he opens his post and realises that he was sent a picture of the woman three days before the murder. He takes the information to the local FBI office, where he is asked to rejoin the case but he refuses.