Skip to main content

Keanu (2016), R, ★★★

Look at that cute kitty.
Key & Peele, the cat, man...they are throwing everything they can to persuade us to laugh hysterically. I mean, comedy TV stars and/or SNL alumni do not have good track records...possibly the worst track records when it comes out to starring in a first film. I felt like so many directors try desperately to highlight what these comedians can do and force us to laugh while the material is not very funny and that is pretentious as a result. They want to manipulate us. Even though the movie is a bit manipulative in highlighting a cute cat to drive the movie, the result is that the movie is funny enough to marginally recommend it to people who are fans of Key & Peele.

Two gunmen, the Allentown Brothers (Key & Peele in dual roles) shoot up the place and King Diaz comes out of hiding saying not to kill his cat but Diaz is killed. The cat runs through Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Clarence (Keegan Michael-Key) drives his mini-van, calling Rell (Jordan Peele). Rell has been dumped by his girlfriend, who said that he was a loser. Rell, hearing scratches outside his door, sees a cat in complete filth. As Clarence arrives shortly, Rell presents his completely clean cat to him and he calls him KEANU.

Clarence and Rell, two weeks later, come back from a Liam Neeson movie and we see Rell's house completely trashed and some of the parody movie posters trashed and they notice Keanu is missing. They call the cops and are told many times that people either look for drugs or are looking for stuff they can sell for drugs. Rell's dealer, Hulka (Will Forte), says that the 17th Street Blips did it. The leader of the Blips is a guy called Cheddar (Method Man). Clarence and Rell go to a topless bar to find Cheddar and are mistaken for drug dealers as he says that the cat is not for sale. How will they get Keanu back?

Kidnapped and maybe, catnapped.
This is such irreverent comedy at the most average price that even though it has a clever premise, the movie sort of derails into stupidity and predictability that you're getting a bit tired and want to just say to them, "Let's finish it up. Let's go!" They parody a lot of the action films but it's mostly like a kitten version of John Wick. And, Key and Peele have a fun time and I had a blast with some of the joyful and senseless action and when the jokes hit hard, I laugh hysterically.

Prepare to be disappointed regarding how much screen time the cat gets because he is not the center of the movie. Key & Peele does a great job with their material and the supporting cast is weak as how to boost the material and trying to become another Jump Street movie. They are not in the same league because sometimes the material takes itself a bit too seriously and becomes self-indulgent after a while.

The comedy hits hard sometimes, but when the film does not land with its jokes, the movie drags and becomes a bit dull. However, the dramatic tone regarding a character and a family element tries to make the movie even to persuade the audience to come back from a bit of a snooze. I am sort of a fan of Key & Peele and even though they missed some areas of opportunity regarding character focus, storylines and some organization around its comedy, I marginally recommend it to people who enjoy these type of action parodies and comedies that take it to another level. But, mostly, even though I am a fan of canines, the feline is adorable.

***

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2015 Documentaries

I have only seen 6 documentaries this year which also includes Amy and I Am Chris Farley . But, I have to be honest, this has not been a particularly strong year for documentaries except for onethat got me emotionally and mentally as what I examine for when they uncover the truth or some facts from the people involved in these documentaries. But, here are the four I have seen this year: Listen To Me Marlon, Unrated, 4 stars This is the most insightful documentary of the year as we only hear Marlon Brando narrating his life and experiences what he has gone through regarding his family, his private life and his film experiences regarding The Godfather , Apocalypse Now , Last Tango in Paris , etc. It is like Marlon Brando came out of his grave to give us another profoundly moving movie only we hear his voice and scenery and nothing else. The Look of Silence, R, 3.5 stars Joshua Oppenheimer's follow-up documentary is a light-hearted but still-disturbing film regarding a ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Daddy's Home 2 (2017), PG-13, ★1/2

The first Daddy's Home was surprisingly a financial success as I thought it was not as bad as many people thought. I thought it was a solid cable watch because it had enough laughs for that sort of mixed recommendation. I was not craving for a sequel for this movie because again, comedy sequels have a very bad record, however, the only difference is that it is not too late since the first movie came out a few years ago. But, this sequel is a reminder as to why we do not need a sequel to a hit comedy because this is a pretty much forgettable comedy, especially a holiday comedy...which I hade a guilty pleasure for. This did not work for me. Brad and Dusty (Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg) have become friends after the events of the first film and they set up a co-dad system where their two children, Megan and Dylan, spending time at each father's home. Dusty has re-married to writer Karen (Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio) and he is step-dad to Adrianna, Karen...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), R, 4 stars

The stockbrokers worshipping Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) like a god. Wall Street. The clients, the adrenaline, the stocks, the money, the power, and the decadence. The former three pertains to the man's job, but the latter three pertains what any stockbroker wants in order to have the freedom to do whatever they want with the client's money. As Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey) would say, "The name of the game is: move the money from your client's pocket into your pocket." We basically spend three hours seeing all of these Wall-Street scumbags steal the clients' money into their own pockets and spend it on booze, drugs, women, and other insane things in more insane activities. I have witnessed here is a great movie that I would not watch repetitively. The movie starts with Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) blowing cocaine onto a hooker's butt and he and his brokers throwing a little person onto a board with a dollar sign in the center. It'...
Post a Comment
Read more