By Robert Scucci
| Published
Just before Jordan Peele transitioned into horror with 2017’s Get Out, he worked alongside his longtime comedy cohort, Keegan-Michael Key, to write and produce his first feature length film, 2016’s Keanu. At first glance, Keanu seems like your typical action comedy film that was green lit because of the success the duo saw with sketch comedy series, Key & Peele, whether or not they actually wanted to pull off a feature-length film. But it only takes a few minutes to realize just how easily transferable their skills are because of how well-paced and acted Keanu actually is despite its ridiculous premise.
It Starts With A Cartel Cat
Keanu’s opening scene introduces us to the titular cat, but at this point in time he’s known as Iglesias, and lives in an undisclosed warehouse occupied by a Mexican drug cartel. When two assassins referred to as the “Allentown Brothers” (portrayed by Keegan-Michael Kay and Jordan Peele in heavy makeup) shoot up the place, leaving no survivors, Iglesias flees from the scene, and winds up on Rell’s (Jordan Peele) doorstep. Rell, who is in a pit of depression after getting dumped by his longtime girlfriend, welcomes the cat into his home, names him Keanu, and the two immediately bond.
Meanwhile, Rell’s cousin, Clarence (Keegan-Michael Key), is forced by his wife, Hannah (Nia Long), to have a fun weekend to himself while she embarks on a suspicious weekend getaway with Spencer (Rob Huebel), a family friend who clearly wants to make a move on her.
Clarence and Rell kick off their weekend with a “Liam Neesons” movie, before heading back to Rell’s place, only to discover that the house has been ransacked, and Keanu is missing.
Figuring that whoever broke into Rell’s place was looking for his drug dealing neighbor, Hulka (Will Forte), Rell and Clarence confront him looking for answers, which leads them to the leader of the Blips (remnants of the Bloods and the Crips), known as Cheddar (Method Man).
Introducing Tech-Tonic and Shark Tank
Rell and Clarence use Hulka’s intel to infiltrate a strip club called Hot Party Vixens (with the unfortunate acronym, HPV) and confront Cheddar about Keanu’s whereabouts. Realizing that they acted hastily, they need a cover story, so they lie about being involved with the Allentown gang, not knowing about the massacre that took place at the front of the film. Rell decides that his street name is Tech-Tonic, and Clarence, the corporate drone that he is, informs everybody that his street name is Shark Tank.
Tech-Tonic and Shark Tank agree to train the Blips on a drug run in exchange for Keanu (who has been renamed New Jack by Cheddar), and they have absolutely no idea what they’re getting into. After a botched delivery of a new party drug called “holy sh*t,” Clarence/Tech-Tonic is left visibly traumatized, nearly blowing his cover as a hardened gang member, while Clarence/Shark Tank ends up embracing the gang lifestyle because he’s never had so much fun as an adult. Clarence fully embraces the gang’s code of ethics while simultaneously introducing the Blips to the musical styling of George Michaels, while Rell simply wants to get a hold of Keanu so he can go back to his normal life.
Matters get complicated, however, when Cheddar reneges on the original deal, roping them into yet another raid.
Top Tier Chemistry Between Key and Peele
One important aspect of Keanu that sets it apart from other action comedies that fall into this wheelhouse is the long-established chemistry between Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, who at that point had a proven track record of being able to riff off each other’s humor. While there are several instances in Keanu where you have to suspend a healthy amount of disbelief, like when Clarence demonstrates how flawlessly he could backflip, these sequences never seem over-the-top. And although every single situation that Rell and Clarence find themselves in will make you say “no way,” the film’s inherent ridiculousness works because both characters are just as surprised as the audience is.
My favorite scene that drives this point home takes place after an epic gang-related gunfight, when Rell, who doesn’t know how to drive, decides to steal a car so he could transport Keanu back home. On one hand, it’s incredibly hard to believe that a man with no experience behind the wheel could drive so well given the circumstances. Conversely, it was incredibly refreshing to know that Rell’s hearing was compromised when Bacon Diaz (Luiz Guzman), the cartel leader in his back seat, fires off a few rounds near his face, which irritates Rell to no end.
The Ultimate Buddy Comedy
Keanu is a one-of-a-kind action comedy because it’s not only hilarious, but has tremendous production values. Every egregious instance of violence is immediately offset by the banter between its principal characters, who at this point have well beyond earned their keep as comedians who know full well what they’re doing. And to think, the catalyst that set off the entire chain of events is a cat named Keanu.
As of this writing, you can stream Keanu on Max.
