Reeves was born in Rockville Centre, New York, and raised in Los Angeles, California. He began making movies at eight years old, directing friends with a wind-up camera. Reeves met and became friends with J.J. Abrams when both were 13 years old, and both were having their short films aired on a Public-access television cable TV channel.
Reeves attended the University of Southern California. There, he produced an award-winning student film titled Mr. Petrified Forest, which helped him acquire an agent, and also co-wrote a script that eventually became Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. After graduating, he co-wrote The Pallbearer, which also became his professional directorial debut.