New Line Cinema
Starring: Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key
Also Starring:  Clementine, Nacho, Squidward, Catrina, Mickey, Macho, Blue Collar, Bebe, Hefe and Catalina
Directed by: Peter Atencio

Cat Out of the Bag Alert!  This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: Comedians Key and Peele hit the big screen with this story of a stolen kitten named Keanu which leads his owner Rell (Jordan Peele) and Rell’s cousin Clarence (Keegan-Michael Key) deep into the underworld in an effort to get the cat back.

Cinema Cat: The kitten Keanu is definitely the shining star of this comedy in the scenes in which he appears.  The opening scene sees Keanu as the pet of a drug lord (at that time Keanu is known by the name Iglesias).

After two notorious thugs called the Allentown Brothers attack the drug factory, the kitten runs away and ends up on the doorstep of Rell, who falls in love.

Rell adopts the kitten and names him Keanu, shooting photo spoofs of movie scenes with Keanu for his own pleasure.

Unfortunately Keanu is stolen from Rell’s apartment and they track him down to a local gang leader named Cheddar (Method Man).  Cheddar has fallen in love with Keanu and renamed him New Jack.

Accidentally passing themselves off as the Allentown Brothers, Rell and Clarence are ordered by Cheddar to help his team with drug deals in exchange for the kitten.

During one scene, Clarence is on a drug trip and imagines himself in audience with Keanu who speaks words of wisdom to him in the voice of Keanu Reeves.

Later Rell and Clarence are kidnapped by the actual Allentown Brothers (who are also in love with the kitten and want him).  Keanu helps Rell break free by clawing at his ropes.

Eventually they end up at the home of gang lord Bacon (Luis Guzmán) whose cousin originally owned the kitten.  A major gang battle breaks out over the cat.

During a car chase, Keanu ends up on the hood of the car racing down the street, then leaps inside to save Rell from Bacon (the kitten’s scenes were filmed on a stationary car with a fan acting as the wind).

In the end Rell and Clarence end up in jail but Keanu visits.

Nine tabby kittens were used to play Keanu, their names being Clementine, Nacho, Squidward, Catrina, Mickey, Macho, Blue Collar, Bebe, Hefe and Catalina and all of them were adopted after the filming was over.  The cat actors were provided by Birds & Animals Unlimited, Inc. with trainers Larry Payne and April Mackin.

Final Mewsings: Kittens are definitely gangsta, stealing everyone’s hearts.

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