First Hit: Oddly funny, slightly creative and occasionally violent film that kept my attention while the kitten stole the show.
There is a fair amount of violence in this film as telegraphed in one of the very early scenes when the Allentown Boys, Oil and Smoke Dresden (Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key respectively), wipe out a drug cartel then take their money and Keanu (the kitten).
Keanu gets away and shows up at Rell Williams’ (Peele again) apartment. The kitten brings hope and joy to Williams who has just lost another girlfriend. His closest friend Clarence Goobril (Key again) is a very upbeat guy and is happy for Williams because of the kitten.
When Keanu is stolen by Cheddar (Method Man) the head of another drug gang, he steps up and combines forces with his friend to find and get the kitten back. This set up takes them out of their normal behavior and has them trying to be tough, street smart, and with killer reputations to infiltrate Cheddar’s drug HQ, which is in a strip club.
Pretending to be the Allentown Boys they gain access to Cheddar's gang and the task to get Keanu back becomes their focus. It is the prize that makes this film work.
Peele is funny both as the pot smoking depressed guy that finds a reason to take chances and the tough hombre willing to kill to get his cat. Key is even more interestingly funny as a very straight guy who also has some soul and smarts. Man is OK as the head of a small cartel. Tiffany Haddish is wonderful as Hi-C an undercover cop and part of Cheddar’s gang. Darrell Brit-Gibson, Jason Mitchell, and Jamar Malachi Neighbors are wonderful as Cheddars gang members who come under the spell of Goobril when listening to George Michael music. Peele and Alex Rubens wrote this odd, yet funny script. Peter Atencio did a great job of directing this odd script and the effective shots of the kitten being a kitten were fabulous.
Overall: Although there were times I wanted the film to move to the next scene, it did provide fun entertainment.