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Keanu

Keanu

Kitten, please.

2016100 minRMidcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Director
Peter Atencio
Starring
Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key, Keanu Reeves, Tiffany Haddish

Friends hatch a plot to retrieve a stolen cat by posing as drug dealers for a street gang.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Keanu?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Keanu streaming on Netflix and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Keanu?

Keanu earns 6 badges, led by Award Winner and Breakout role.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Keanu worth watching?

Keanu's Midcredits score is the 50th percentile of all films, from 142K ratings across 6 sources. 47% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

50th percentile

Better received than 50% of films

67th percentile among Action51st percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)52nd
Approval (how many liked it)48th

62 /100

52nd percentile of all films

69th percentile among Action53rd percentile among 2010s

Critics 63 · Audience 62

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.3 — solid but not unanimous.

47% liked it

48th percentile of all films

62nd percentile among Action47th percentile among 2010s
47% rated it 7–1053% rated it 1–6

Critics 78% · Audience 55%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 5 wins / 5 noms overall

95th percentile

142K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Action95th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$15M
Opening weekend$9.5M
Domestic gross$21M
Worldwide gross$21M

Returned 1.4× its budget — 68th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A silly, one-joke action-comedy that works best as an extended Key & Peele sketch, driven by the duo's chemistry and a cute kitten.

Fans praised

  • Key and Peele's electric comedic chemistry and energetic performances
  • Brilliantly absurd premise executed with consistent laughs and witty dialogue
  • Adorable, scene-stealing kitten adds charm and comedic heart

Detractors panned

  • Overstretched sketch stretched into a thin, repetitive 100-minute film
  • Excessive violence and crude language undercut the comedy
  • Weak, predictable plot with no real narrative development

What stands out

ActingDivisive78

Key and Peele's comedic chemistry and delivery praised; detractors say caricatures grow tiresome

DialogueDivisive72

Witty, quick banter between leads; detractors find repetitive and forced

Sound and musicDivisive70

George Michael soundtrack highlighted; fans love the running gag, detractors find it repetitive

HumorDivisive60

Highly divisive: fans praise consistent laughs; detractors say jokes fall flat and repeat

CharactersDivisive42

Thin, stock suburban-gangster types; fans like the buddy dynamic, detractors call them shallow

OriginalityDivisive35

Derivative of John Wick and 21 Jump Street; fans see novelty in kitten-lens spoof

Pacing35

Runs too long after first act; many call it an overextended sketch

Plot and storyDivisive30

Simple catnapping premise; many say it can't sustain feature length and is predictable

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Keanu like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdTenseManic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsAbsurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its absurd premise at a knowing distance, parodying action/gangster tropes while never taking itself seriously.
The rideThe film balances absurdist comedy with bursts of violent tension from the gang plot, sustaining that mix from start to finish.
StructureA conventional three-act structure with a setup (cat stolen), confrontation (infiltrating the gang), and resolution (final shootout and arrest).

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayA silly, action-packed comedy that leaves you smiling and thoroughly entertained.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% (this title) · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of errors: Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.

11% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA comedic mistaken-identity premise where two suburban cousins adopt gangster personas to infiltrate a violent street gang and retrieve their kitten.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfGriefSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

Grief · 6% of filmsIdentity · 14% of films
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on grief and recovery through the cat, but explores identity through the cousins' forced gang personas and loyalty versus betrayal in the criminal world.
StanceThe film satirizes gang culture and violent machismo through the absurdist lens of two ordinary men adopting gang personas over a cat.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticStylized realism
PopElectronicSupportive music · hybrid
Settinggang-infested Los Angeles, shifting between Rell's apartment and drug-dealing locales
MusicThe soundtrack blends hip-hop and pop, including a George Michael reference that recurs as a comedic motif.

Content guide

Is Keanu okay for kids?

R

Keanu is rated R: “Rated R for violence, language throughout, drug use and sexuality/nudity” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (71/100), sexual content at moderate (56/100), language at severe (86/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (67/100) and frightening material at moderate (41/100). Overall it is heavier than 68% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • Denmark15
  • Hungary18
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 81% of all filmsHeavier than 68% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 52%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 67%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 85%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 84%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 24%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language, violence, and drug and alcohol content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Keanu have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Keanu?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Jordan Peele
as Rell Williams
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Keegan-Michael Key
as Clarence Goobril
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Keanu Reeves
as Keanu
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tiffany Haddish
as Hi-C
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Method Man
as Cheddar
Darrell Britt-Gibson
as Trunk
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jason Mitchell
as Bud
Jamar Malachi Neighbors
as Stitches
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Luis Guzmán
as Bacon
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Will Forte
as Hulka

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Keanu?

Movies like Keanu include Grilled (2006), The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997) and Wolfs (2024). Of the 12 closest matches, half are stories about gangsters, and most are buddy comedies.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its praise for acting. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Keanu?

2.6K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: odd couple. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.