Director Peter Atencio
Genre Comedy
Cast Keegan Michael-Key, Jordan Peele, Will Forte, Jason Mitchell
Rating R
Release Date April 29th, 2016
“Friends hatch a plot to retrieve a stolen kitten by posing as drug dealers for a street gang.”
Just as the movie poster reads, Keanu is brought to us by the visionary minds of Key & Peele (strong words but justifiable), the hilarious Comedy Central bred duo comprised of Jordan Peele and Keegan Michael-Key. Technically it all started with MADtv but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The film is directed by Peter Atencio, who also directed the Key & Peele series for Comedy Central in its entirety from 2012-2015. Keanu serves as the feature-film debut for Key & Peele, and is written by Jordan Peele and Alex Rubens. The film also stars our favorite rapper turned actor Method Man, as well as Luis Guzman, Will Forte, and Nia Long.
I got my first glimpse of the Keanu trailer at the theater quite a while ago (I want to say 6 months or so but I am terrible with time), and I immediately marked April 29th on my calendar. I mean sure it was a ridiculous premise, but I knew I would be seeing this movie no matter what. I am happy to say that it was well worth the wait! Keanu had me laughing and smiling for the entire hour and 40 minutes and I never once looked at the clock wondering when it was going to end (I also had to pee, I was able to ignore that urge as well). The film unfolds just as a quality action/comedy should, by providing an endless supply of both without feeling repetitive or too over-the-top (believe it or not). It never felt slow and it seemed to end just when it needed to. Keanu’s cute little face and his high pitched trademark kitten meow never gets old. It took every ounce of willpower I had to not stop at the pet store and get a Keanu of my own on the way home. I commend everyone involved with this film for their ability to take source material that is beyond ridiculous and craft some good old fashioned entertainment.
The acting in Keanu is overshadowed (in a positive way) by the incredible chemistry between Key & Peele, and to be quite honest I find it hard to believe this is only their first feature-film as a duo. They play off each other extremely well, somehow finding a way to magnify each other’s strengths while covering-up any potential weaknesses. The cast is anchored by a hilarious and off-the-wall Will Forte. Even though he has a smaller role his impact is undeniable. Method Man doesn’t quite top his memorable performance in 2001’s How High (I mean how could he?), which I’ve admittedly seen 20 times at least, but he delivers a strong performance as leader of the “Blips” gang. Keanu definitely stole the show and was as cute as can be, not to mention a natural on-screen, all 7 or so of him (according to Jordan Peele, 7 cats and/or kittens assumed the role).
Keanu is a rare breed of action/comedy, finding a way to seamlessly combine laugh-out-loud humor (or LOL as the kid’s say), gang violence, drug trafficking, and last but not least the cutest damn kitten you've ever seen. What we end up with is a final product very much light-hearted and genuinely entertaining. What I think impressed me most was how effortless it all felt, nothing felt forced and everything seemed to come together with ease. If you have a soft spot for well-choreographed slow motion gunfights, snot bubble quality humor, and kittens so damn cute they should be illegal, Keanu is the movie for you. Check it out as soon as possible and keep an eye out for Key & Peele’s next venture, the bar has been set.
