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Keeping up with the Jones Review

"Mr & Mrs Smith lite? "
Keeping Up with the Jones is reminiscent of the dark comedy that brought Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt together 11 years ago. As this super couple's personal lives come under scrutiny in the media once again, another film of a similar look and feel hits theaters. From the creators of Superbad and Adventureland comes the newest 'spy next door' adventure which taps into something that plagues many in the suburbs and begs the questions, who are our neighbors and what do they do for a living? The Gaffneys love their neighborhood. It has everything that they cherish in life: friends, family and safety. All of the residents of this close-knit community seem to know each others business and when someone new moves into one of the picturesque houses, a subtle and neighborly investigation begins. One of the homes in this grand circle sells to the picture perfect couple, Tim and Natalie Jones (Jon Hamm and Gal Gadot). They are beautiful, accomplished and mysterious, which makes them the envy of many on the street and everyone wants to know their story. Then something makes Karen and Zach Gaffney (Isla Fisher and Zach Galifiankis)  suspicious of the Joneses and they do all they can to discover what the newest residents on the cul-de-sac are hiding. Relying on their less than effective sleuth skills they discover that the Joneses are really government agents. These secret operatives come to share that their motives are to investigate the Gaffneys for corporate espionage, but find that they were misguided. This truth leads the two couples to work together to find the actual perpetrators and this is when the hilarity ensues.  KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES TM and © 2015 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.  Not for sale or duplication. With Superbad’s director Greg Mottola, overseeing this crazy caper and with these well-casted couples, Keeping Up with the Joneses has the potential to be comedic gold. The challenge for Mottola was stepping out of his comfort zone with this film which is less Superbad and more Modern Family. Sadly, without excessive language and adult content in his arsenal of humor and gags, the film turns into a mainstream comedy without much soul.
The 'spy as your neighbor' concept  is not without some merit, especially when it comes to the casting. Jon Hamm and Gal Gadot prove they can play up the comedy as well as prove to be worthy action heroes. Gadot will continue to show these skills in the new Wonder Woman film, but as Natalie Jones, she shows that she does have the ability to handle witty banter alongside her government issue pistol. Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover Trilogy) continues to fill the role of the bumbling fool with heart, but the real stand out was Isla Fisher. She is an under-utilised comedienne who validates that she is a force in the realm of comedy. This party of four are well suited for their roles, but even with their thespian skills, they cannot make up for the poorly executed storyline, proving good performers are only as good as the lines that they are given to deliver. 
kutj-gallery3-gallery-imageThis action comedy does tap into an underlying need that people have to belong to a community. This is where the best of many of the modern comedies sit. It shows that for the jokes to hit their mark, they do it best when they touch on some of the realities of life. The desire for friendships, rekindling the spark in marriage or thinking that everyone else’s life is more exciting than your own provide glimmers of magic in this outing in amongst the mundane. This is when Mottola does get things right, but unfortunately, these moments come too infrequently to garner many accolades. Keeping Up with the Joneses eventually could be compared to the lollies purchased before the film: sweet, fun, but ultimately forgettable and lacking in any real substantive value. 
Rating
4.5
Pros
  • Good director
  • Great cast
  • Entertaining bits, but to few to make this comedic gold
Cons
  • Weak story line
  • Predictable at every turn

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About / Bio
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Russell is an American ex-pat who has been transplanted in his new home of Sydney. He is a reviewer for Insights Magazine and the blog Russelling Reviews. He moderates events called Reel Dialogue (reeldialogue.com) which connects the film industry with the general public.

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