When "Key & Peele" was blowing up on Comedy Central, I didn't have cable and, when I did, I didn't use it much so I only ever caught episodes when it happened to be on at a friend's house where I happened to be hanging out. I've only seen a dozen or so full episodes but I always loved what I saw. It was easily Comedy Central's best stand-up/sketch show since "Chappelle's Show". If you were a fan of "Key & Peele", chances are you'll love KEANU. It's essentially a "Key & Peele" sketch expanded to feature length. Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key are Rell and his cousin Clarence, respectively. As we meet them, Rell is reeling from a particularly nasty break-up and Clarence is hoping to find a means of taking his mind off of it, but Rell's mood is quickly lifted by the surprise arrival of an adorable kitten (whom he names Keanu) at his doorstep. When a wrong address leads local gang members to wreck his apartment and cat-nap Keanu, Rell recruits Clarence to join him in confronting the leader of the Blips (a gang consisting of members who weren't good enough for the Bloods or Crips) and their leader Cheddar (Method Man) for his cat. Some miscommunication later, Cheddar believes them to be the notorious Allentown Bros, an assassin duo that had effortlessly obliterated a local rival drug ring, and agrees to hand over Keanu in exchange for a little assistance in his own drug operation.
The crux of the movie is how Rell and Clarence are the least tough, least street smart men to be getting involved in organized crime. It's your usual fish-of-out-water scenario where our heroes are a stoner and a married man with a passion for the music of George Michael. The plot is basic and, honestly, the biggest disappointment in the movie because you can predict everything that's going to happen. You know what story beats are coming and can generally figure out how everything will play out, though there are a few surprises in there. When Rell and Clarence accompany Cheddar's unit to deliver a package of his lethal new street drug Holy Sh*t to a local Hollywood starlet's house, it's a pretty cool moment with a fun cameo that would almost feel a little too long if it weren't constantly cutting away to Clarence in the van explaining to the gangbangers how George Michael's music deserves their respect. It's moments like that, and the fantastic chemistry of Key and Peele with their knack for playing the dorkiest suburbanites, that make KEANU so much fun in spite of the half-hearted script. If you were disappointed when "Key & Peele" completed its run, here is where you can get your fix until the guys find the time to put together another project together. Just keep expectations in check; I was so hyped by the positive buzz for this movie that I was a little disappointed the first time I watched it.
Like I said, the writing won't win any awards but the comedy, and even the action, is on point. There's some decent action here. I guarantee Key and Peele had a load of fun making this. They even have dual roles, portraying the movie's actual Allentown Bros with all their Matrix-esque acrobatics, gunplay, and cold-blooded murdering. I had to double-check the cast listing because they're covered in some Frankenstein-level makeup effects to hide it. The comedians may be the heroes (and villains, I guess) of the movie but the real star of KEANU is Keanu. I mean, come on, the kitten's adorable. Just look at him with his little do-rag on. You can't tell me a kitten clinging to the hood of a speeding car won't put you on the edge of your seat. He even gets his own hero moment *and* he's voiced by Keanu Reeves because of course he is. I should clarify, he only speaks once and it's during a drug-induced hallucination. This isn't a movie about a talking cat. But I'd watch that too if it feature Key and Peele. So yeah, KEANU is fun. It could've used some rewrites to punch up the actual plot but it's elevated by our three stars. Fans of their show will certainly find this to be a surefire hit and people who aren't familiar with the duo's show might be inspired to seek it out. Either way, I can't wait to see what these guys might put out next.
The crux of the movie is how Rell and Clarence are the least tough, least street smart men to be getting involved in organized crime. It's your usual fish-of-out-water scenario where our heroes are a stoner and a married man with a passion for the music of George Michael. The plot is basic and, honestly, the biggest disappointment in the movie because you can predict everything that's going to happen. You know what story beats are coming and can generally figure out how everything will play out, though there are a few surprises in there. When Rell and Clarence accompany Cheddar's unit to deliver a package of his lethal new street drug Holy Sh*t to a local Hollywood starlet's house, it's a pretty cool moment with a fun cameo that would almost feel a little too long if it weren't constantly cutting away to Clarence in the van explaining to the gangbangers how George Michael's music deserves their respect. It's moments like that, and the fantastic chemistry of Key and Peele with their knack for playing the dorkiest suburbanites, that make KEANU so much fun in spite of the half-hearted script. If you were disappointed when "Key & Peele" completed its run, here is where you can get your fix until the guys find the time to put together another project together. Just keep expectations in check; I was so hyped by the positive buzz for this movie that I was a little disappointed the first time I watched it.
Like I said, the writing won't win any awards but the comedy, and even the action, is on point. There's some decent action here. I guarantee Key and Peele had a load of fun making this. They even have dual roles, portraying the movie's actual Allentown Bros with all their Matrix-esque acrobatics, gunplay, and cold-blooded murdering. I had to double-check the cast listing because they're covered in some Frankenstein-level makeup effects to hide it. The comedians may be the heroes (and villains, I guess) of the movie but the real star of KEANU is Keanu. I mean, come on, the kitten's adorable. Just look at him with his little do-rag on. You can't tell me a kitten clinging to the hood of a speeding car won't put you on the edge of your seat. He even gets his own hero moment *and* he's voiced by Keanu Reeves because of course he is. I should clarify, he only speaks once and it's during a drug-induced hallucination. This isn't a movie about a talking cat. But I'd watch that too if it feature Key and Peele. So yeah, KEANU is fun. It could've used some rewrites to punch up the actual plot but it's elevated by our three stars. Fans of their show will certainly find this to be a surefire hit and people who aren't familiar with the duo's show might be inspired to seek it out. Either way, I can't wait to see what these guys might put out next.