By Dontré L. Conerly
Anyone who says a dog is man’s best friend, has clearly never met Keanu. This cute calico kitten is a feline Helen of Troy, capable of launching a thousand bullets and leaving in his wake a dizzying body count which rivals even the bloodiest battle at Troy.
Set on the streets of Los Angeles, rather than ancient Greece, Keanu is a modern day retelling of Homer’s classic tale, in which warring factions shed blood for the affection of a cat. In this version, however, the “Trojan horse” is two mild-mannered besties (played by comedy duo, Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key in their first motion picture) who infiltrate a hardened street gang to retrieve their cat by posing as murderous assassins.
Key stars as “Clarence,” a milquetoast suburban father locked in a staid marriage, who is encouraged by his wife (the ever-beautiful Nia Long) to be more adventurous. Clarence is joined in ennui by “Rell,” his stoner best friend (Peele) who has recently suffered a breakup and is overcome with hopeless lethargy. Hilarious hijinks ensue when Rell attached his affections to a stray kitten who shows up on his doorstep, whom he names “Keanu.” The lost pet of a gang member who met his untimely demise at the hands of brother assassins, Rell and Clarence are forced to assume their identity to retrieve Keanu from a rival gang (led by Method Man) after a hyperactive Keanu wanders off—as he is wont to do.
If you’re familiar with the sketch comedy of “Key and Peele,” then you know you’re in for a laugh-out-loud good time. Rather than a show composed of short clips, Keanu is a capacious comedy which allows the pair room to really flex their satirical chops—and they do so to hilarious effect!
Their unique brand of observational humor has made them household names on the small screen, and the two spare no expense in their satirical skewering of all genres of film, from romantic comedy to action and even gangsta cinema. As in their TV show, their comedy is aided by appearances from equally funny friends, such as Saturday Night Live’s Will Forte and comedian Luis Guzmán. Even Anna Faris (as Anna Faris) makes a scene-dominating appearance which leaves the audience gobsmacked!
In much the same way as the Wayans brothers have perfected satirical comedies which rest on a simplistic, highly unbelievable script, Keanu depends largely on suspension of disbelief and a willingness to go along with the rouse; as doing so allows you to enjoy the comedic genius of a film that is undeniable funny! Rated R for language, nudity, extreme violence, and gore, it’s a mature, laugh-out-loud film which joins the ranks of White Chicks and the Scary Movie franchise.
Oh! And you’ll appreciate George Michael in a way that you never have before!
Keanu opens in theatres nationwide today. See the trailer HERE.
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