"Keanu" Review




Title: Keanu
Director: Peter Atencio
Starring: Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre(s): Comedy
Rated: R (For thematic elements, violence and a suggestive situation)







They say pets are like family.  This statement is so true that in the new comedy “Keanu” it appears that even a gangster will put his life on the line for a kitty.  For whether you are a single guy, a drug lord, or an assassin, a pet is very therapeutic.  Having owned a pet for more than a half my life in one form or another, I couldn’t help but nod and chuckle in amusement for the vast majority of the film.  Yes, the story isn’t realistic in the slightest.  I doubt the Godfather himself would revolve his life around his own cat to the extent that the characters in this film do.  But the title character is a cutie, so we can understand why so many people would put their livelihoods at risk for a furry friend to pet and take pictures of for their personal calendar.
 

It makes sense to me because I have a pet chinchilla who has become my main companion and source of company for the past few years.  I have monthly nightmares of him running away and being devastated at his loss.  If I found my home broken into with him stolen, I’d probably be willing to break a few laws to get him back myself.  So, of course, when this ends up being the case with two characters played by funny duo Key and Peele all Hell breaks loose in usually hilarious ways.  There’s even a drug dealer named Cheddar who gets into the mix, whose top priority is making money and shilling his own product (but who may be willing to take a loss so long as he has some feline companionship).  Most of what makes “Keanu” funny is that everything that happens in the film is related to the cat.

It’s funny to see grown men skewing their own morals and real problems in the name of getting an animal.  I suppose if these people had any common sense though, the movie wouldn’t be as funny as it is.  Of course, there are story problems, clichés to be had, and I’m sure there are many situations where audiences will be face palming and muttering “all this for a damn cat” under their breaths.  “Keanu” is a funny escapist film, not something you can take seriously.  I doubt I will ever have a desire to see it again and there are certainly better films to see in theaters at the moment.  For what “Keanu” is though it works.  I smiled, I laughed, and the absurdity of it all kept me invested in the brief running time.  Plus, despite myself, I found Keanu to be one cute kitty.










CONSUMER ADVICE
Parents, despite the fact that this is about a couple grown men trying to find their lost kitten, the movie has lots of adult language, violence, and even some drug use.  Recommended for ages 17 and up.