Keanu Review
RYAN: Keanu is a new comedy starring Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, aka Key and Peele. I’m not familiar with their work, but am thrilled to be joined in this review by my associate Becky Banks, who has seen their show.
BECKY: I’m a fan. They say he funny things that many people can’t get away with.
RYAN: I’ve seen them in other things, but it’s cool to see them “do them” in their own movie dishing their own brand of comedy which crosses cultures and appealing. They have amazing chemistry as friends. And for all that its comedy works well, the premise is a bit trite and thin. It didn’t really sustain a feature length.
BECKY: Going in, you know there’s a kitten and I wondered about whether the story could sustain a full length film. I wondered what it would be about. But as a Key & Peele fan, they were entertaining and awesome the whole time and because I wasn’t expecting it to be a strong story as much as a showcase for them, I was cool with it.
RYAN: That’s fair. There are a couple false ending where rhythmically it feels like it’s ending but then keeps going. But from what I understand Key & Peele is like a sketch comedy show, so it makes sense that the set up for the plot in this film really feels a bit like they’re stretching for length. There’s not much character development. I liked the cast – Anna Farris has a sizable cameo. Will Forte is great.
BECKY: They play with stereotypes and race and can get away with things under the umbrella of comedy. Will plays exactly “that guy” that exists.
RYAN: And they play with dialect. They’re basically playing suburbanites who pose as criminals, changing their speech patterns to sort of go makeshift undercover. They’re so talented at flipping between cultures.
BECKY: They get it. Everyone takes on different roles in different social situations and they’re really elucidating it. They’re putting it out there in a funny way.
RYAN: You’re right. It’s cool to see how their chemistry translates into a movie, but it really could have been a TV movie, granted it’s rated R.
BECKY: Simply put, if you are a Key & Peele fan, or if you like kittens, you will enjoy this movie. Or if you’re close to someone who is a fan of theirs, you’ll probably have fun going along.
RYAN: There is an audience for this and I like that they feel fresh in comparison to other comedians. And although I’m a dog person, I loved this little cat. I wish hey had used more of him. He drives the story but doesn’t do as much as movie dogs have done.
BECKY: I wanted more Keanu. Keanu Reese voices the cat for a moment.
RYAN: That was clever.
BECKY: And what did you think of all the George Michael music?
RYAN: This was, like, a George Michael movie! He’s all over this and I enjoyed that but it does become a bit much at one point – goes a little too far.
BECKY: So does George Michael.
RYAN: (laughs) I’m often forgiving of suspension of disbelief – I’m the biggest proponent of fantasy and forgiving things because “it’s a movie.” But this one goes just too far in the story, asking too much faith, pun intended Gorge Michael.
