Keeping Up with the Joneses (2016) Review!!

Synopsis – A suburban couple becomes embroiled in an international espionage plot when they discover that their seemingly perfect new neighbors are government spies.

My Take – Its hard to make a perfect comedy film, mainly because the the only thing that matters is that did the film make you to laugh? Comedy is the only genre where you find the most divide among the audience, as the sense of humor of each viewer varies plus it also matters in what frame of mind or expectations they have from a certain film. This will undoubtedly vary from the accounts of uppity film critics who will discount the basic plot and obvious laughs (which is the whole point). While I do enjoy the general Seth Rogen kind of films, spy comedies are one sub genre I hold a special place for. It’s a genre so based on plot twists that most of them can be seen a mile away, especially if you’ve already seen some. This one is no different. No real plot twist is really surprising, including the final joke. And still, I had loads of fun watching it, because most of the jokes are actually character driven, and the characters are very well written, and well performed by most. Despite that you can’t ignore the fact, save for maybe Bad Moms & Neighbors 2, 2016 hasn’t been very kind to comedy. And after just recently being submitted to such atrocities as The Boss and Masterminds, I was ready for another big disappointment at the special screening of the now very stale Zach Gallifianakis brand of humor. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed this film! The film has this great nostalgic feeling, a kick back to those wonderful 80’s comedies that fuse action and humor, while actually making you care for what the characters are going through. It’s a bit of the oddball The ‘Burbs with elements of classic spy flicks like True Lies or Mr. & Mrs. Smith. The latest entry from director Greg Mottola and writer Michael LeSieur offers a more balanced approach while being somewhat grounded in familiar suburbia. Perfect casting certainly helps. I found myself laughing, I was emotionally attached to the story and could relate to the characters, the trailer says it best, what you see is what you get.

The story follows The Gaffneys, Karen (Isla Fisher) and Jeff (Zach Gallifianakis), who seem to be living the “American dream”. They’ve got two pre-teen boys and live in cozy two-story home in an up-scale cul-de-sac. Karen takes care of said home, while running a part-time interior design biz from the study. Jeff, like many of his neighbors, works at a big local aeronautics company. He heads the human resources department in one of the more popular offices. That’s because he has internet access (too many sensitive government projects are going on upstairs, so no web surfing). The Gaffneys are contemplating a romantic Summer when they load their boys into a bus bound for camp. As they clumsily try to heat things up, a moving van pulls into the driveway of the empty house across the street. New neighbors! And quite a glamorous duo, it’s the Joneses, travel writer Tim (Jon Hamm) and food blogger Natalie (Gal Gadot). They soon pay the Gaffneys a visit, even bringing them a hand-crafted gift. Jeff develops a bit of a “man crush” on Tim, but Karen’s radar is activated. Something’s just not right about them. Tim just “happens” to run into Jeff and invites him to lunch where Tim is way too interested in Jeff’s routine job (and his co-workers). During a late night exploration of the Jones house, the Gaffneys discover a room full of surveillance tech and gadgets. Could they be spies? And who are there bosses? This could make things very awkward at the next block party! Feature comedy director Greg Mottola (Superbad, Paul, Adventureland) deftly guides this terrific ensemble, keeping the story flowing, and happily avoiding that deadly lull at the one-hour mark that derails many a funny flick. Michael LeSieur’s clever script delivers big laughs while making these characters feel real, never mere gag props. He also provides several great set pieces aside from the shoot-out and dressing room scenes. Marriage is a central theme in the film. Couples deal with communication, romance, respect, and trust. The idea of friendship is used to illustrate the importance of camaraderie and support, sacrifice, and encouragement to live a fulfilled life. The men head off for some male bonding – at a highly unusual specialty restaurant, leading to one of the more manic sequences in the film. The impressive thing about this latest is that the comedy mostly derives from character and situational interactions, and the expected steady stream of punchlines never materializes. There is even some insight into marriages that have become a bit too predictable, and the challenges of making new friends when all available energy is devoted to parenting and making ends meet. This film is a 100 percent a genre popcorn flick: nothing particularly innovative or stylish about the story or execution.

There are recognizable tropes and common clichés, the framing of the film is fairly predictable, and it’s filled with spy-like hijinks and the mandatory car chase. However, the charm and genuine comedic talent of the cast will make it easy for many to settle in and enjoy, without passing too much judgment. Action scenes are pretty good, not over the top, but still fun anyway. If you have seen the trailer you know what you’re going see going in. This cast shines infinitely brighter than the usual cookie-cutter characters who emerge from similar types of action-comedies. Zach Galifianakis is hardly recognizable here, after shedding most of his weight. Galifianakis is much more grounded than he was in the very recent dud Masterminds, making Jeff less of an outlandish cartoon, more of a sometimes goofy, bewildered guy next door. Yes, he’s got a weird fascination with home beer brewing and indoor sky-diving, but Jeff’s a dependable Joe, who’s pretty clumsy, but always sees the best in people. Still, he’s yearning for something. Zach Galifianakis and Isla Fisher have some great comic chemistry, playing the zany sitcom like couple perfectly. Isla Fisher commits beautifully to her role. Isla Fisher is a great comic partner for Galifianakis, but also marvelous when she’s intimidated by Gadot in the big changing room scene (showcased in the trailers and TV ads). Jon Hamm is the perfect debonair secret agent with a surprisingly vulnerable side. Hamm has finally gotten a film role that allows him to shed the ultra-cool brooding Don Draper of “Mad Men”, while exercising his comic chops and flexing an action-hero swagger. Gal Gadot is the real surprise here and her scenes with Ms. Fisher are the film’s best. The 31 year-old Israeli actress and Wonder Woman delivers her jokes while keeping a deadpan expression, and manages to steal almost every scene she’s in with her exotic accent and stunning stature. Actually, Gadot alone is a good enough reason to watch the film – and throwing her into the heart of every-town America has a great payoff once push comes to shove. The brilliant Patton Oswalt is cast as the self-nicknamed villain, and is responsible for one of the film’s biggest laughs. On the whole, ‘Keeping Up with the Joneses’ is an enjoyable film that allows its cast to drive and give us laughs (big and small), despite its predictable moments. This a film you could enjoy if you are having a bad day, you have to go in this suspending some disbelieve. So while this seems like the kind of film I would usually ignore, perhaps it arrives at a time when laughing is simply preferable to the daily grind of an embarrassing and humiliating Presidential race or a simple thing called shit life.