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There’s just something about kittens and puppies that can turn the toughest guy into a baby-talking softy—or cause entire offices to stop what they’re doing and gather together to watch viral videos. And in comic duo Key and Peele’s first film, Keanu, a kitten sparks a series of wild—and hilarious—turf wars.
Keanu finds a couple of average guys going above and beyond for a cute little ball of fur. Rell (Jordan Peele) is recovering from a breakup when a kitten shows up at his front door and changes everything. Little Keanu gives him hope—and a new reason to live. But little Keanu is also the runaway pet of a gunned-down drug dealer. And when the kitten is stolen during a break-in, Rell and his straight-laced cousin, Clarence (Keegan-Michael Key), end up posing as ruthless drug dealers to bring Keanu home.
Everything about Keanu is outlandish and over-the-top—from the ridiculous set-up to the exaggerated characters. But, in this case, that’s not a bad thing. The insanity of it all is handled well, and the characters’ unlikely antics offer plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.
Still, these outrageous adventures wouldn’t have been quite as wildly entertaining with a different duo in the lead roles. Key and Peele make an undeniably entertaining team. Their comic timing and comic chemistry are remarkable—and they balance each other well. While Key overplays his role, often making Clarence feel like a Muppet pretending to be a gangster, Peele balances him out with an underplayed, deer-in-headlights performance. Together, their characters are both awkward and uncomfortable and completely out of place in the funniest of ways.
In fact, the two work so well together that the few moments when they’re apart just aren’t as much fun. The scenes when Rell makes a delivery while Clarence introduces the rest of the crew to the musical genius of George Michael still have their amusing moments, but they’re not as outrageously funny as the scenes where the two can play off each other. Of course, that’s pretty typical for a comedy. Even the most successful comedies have bits that miss the mark. And this riotous R-rated romp hits much more often than it misses.
If you’ve ever watched the same Key and Peele sketch more than once because it was just so funny, you won’t want to miss their first full-length comedy. It’s ridiculous and foul-mouthed and violent, but it’s good-natured, too—and it’s great for some brainless laughs.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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