Movie Review: Keanu (2016)

NEWEST REVIEW IS LIVE! Today, let's get our gangster on as we go looking for Keanu

Hello All,

    For a little insight on the behind the scenes of how this blog is run, last night I spent over an hour debating which one of six movies to go see. Strangely enough the one I chose was the one that was playing at the closest theatre, which made the whole debate relatively pointless, except for the fact that I can tell you that I won’t be short of reviews for hopefully the next little while.

I can also say that I went into this not knowing much of Key and Peele’s previous material except for the college football names sketch but only because I’m a human being who's lived on this planet. Truth be told with the fact that most of the comedies I’ve been seeing since I’ve started doing these reviews have been mostly awful, I’ve really been hoping for something really funny to sink my teeth into. I will admit though the idea seemed unlikely at first, but the more times I saw the trailer the more it actually started to grow on me (same can be said for Central Intelligence.) So how did my first real foray into Key and Peele’s brand of comedy fair? Let’s find out shall we?

Plot Summary - After breaking up with his girlfriend, Rell (Jordan Peele) adopts a stray kitten and names it Keanu. After his home is broken into and Keanu gets taken, he enlists his cousin Clarence (Keegan-Michael Key) to infiltrate the gang that took him and find a way to get him back.

Pros - The premise is interesting and they actually do a lot to make the most of it. It is strangely hilarious to watch all the people in the movie who come into contact with Keanu instantly fall in love with the little guy. I can also honestly say that this is the first movie in awhile where I found myself genuinely laughing out loud multiple times. The cast does really well too, as they’re not only just good with the comedic timing but the dramatic moments as well. The story for the most part is interesting and varied in the situations they find themselves in for such a simple main idea of trying to rescue a cat. There’s also a touch of smart social satire as the film does touch on ideas of racial standards and stereotypes.

Cons - There’s one scene that admittedly feels a touch out of place, and there’s a revelation later on in the film that I saw coming early on that lessened its impact a bit.

Final Score - 9/10

It’s a definitive watch, and definitely not just for Key and Peele fans. I’m excited to see if these guys keep making movies and I’d love to see them keep going with more ideas.

Next - The Lobster: For anyone who doesn’t know, this is a movie about a single man who has 45 days to find true love or be turned into an animal of his choosing, which is a lobster. I cannot wait.

We have 3 new followers on the twitter blog, so we are getting closer to the first goal of 15. When we hit 10, I’ll figure out a way to have you guys send in suggestions for what you might want me to review. Twitter account is here: https://twitter.com/RyansMovieBlog

Last Review is here: I tackled the latest video game movie Ratchet and Clank.

Until then, I’ll see you folks at the movies.