It's Difficult "Keeping Up With The Joneses"

Keeping Up With The Joneses (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher, Jon Hamm, Gal Gadot

Directed by Greg Mottola

The Story:

Jeff and Karen Gaffney (Galifianakis & Fisher) are a happy couple living in a wonderful neighborhood in suburbia. And then the Jones family moves in and Tim and Natalie (Hamm & Gadot) just seem to be so cool...so different.

Well that's because they are international spies...

The movie literally begins with a bang and then fills us in on the backstory of the Gaffney's, their lives, their jobs, their neighborhood.

But why on earth would spies want to live in the suburbs?

That's the next layer of the film as eventually, their mission is learned as their identities are compromised.

It's not a laugh out loud comedy, though it does have it's fair share of laughs.

Much of the humor is situational comedy as stereotypes of suburbia and espionage are both examined a little closer.

It's a great cast, and with a few tweaks here or there to punch up the comedy, this could've been really good. However, the interaction between the characters is what keeps the movie afloat and invests you in the overall story.

But I've seen worse spy films, comedies, and comedy spy films, so there's that at least. :)

Final Grade:  C+