Reeves, known for his commitment to roles, apparently rehearsed the scene with a stuffed dog, and his convincing, heart-wrenching performance made the filmmakers briefly change their minds. It would make the actor visibly tearful and, according to Stahelski, when Reeves was in character and “crying” with his face “beat up,” some people were really questioning whether they should take it this way, in the fear that this twist is too much for the viewers.