Keanu

Keanu (voiced by Keanu Reeves) is a tiny gray-and-white kitten that serves as the linchpin in an extended sketch by TV's Comedy Central favorites Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. As Keanu's story begins, he's scooting out of a drug-lab shootout, miraculously winding up on the doorstep of pot-puffing slacker Rell Williams (Peele), who is depressed after being dumped by his girlfriend. With the approval of his uptight best friend/cousin Clarence (Key), Rell adopts the fluffy feline, naming him Keanu, which he thinks is Hawaiian for “cool breeze.” When Keanu disappears after a break-in, Rell's stoner neighbor (Will Forte) steers them to a seedy Los Angeles strip club, headquarters of the notorious 17th Street Blips (“the ones who got kicked out of the Bloods and Crips”), run by kingpin Cheddar (rapper Method Man), who has abducted Keanu and re-named him New Jack, decking him out in a do-rag and bling. In order to ingratiate themselves with Cheddar, nerdy, soft-spoken Rell and Clarence pass themselves off as street thugs “Tectonic” and “Shark Tank,” poking fun with their gangsta impersonations. To get their cat back, they must embark on a mission to deliver drugs to the Hollywood home of a maniacal movie star (Anna Faris), accompanied by Cheddar's surly accomplice Hi-C (Tiffany Haddish). Not surprisingly, there are unexpected complications—with a nod to Clarence's giddy passion for pop singer George Michael. Subtly absurdist and purring with subversive satire, Keanu is episodically directed by Key & Peele show veteran Peter Atencio. Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include deleted scenes (15 min.), a gag reel (6 min.), a “My First Movie” production featurette (3 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for this extended sketch comedy.] (S. Granger)