Why a star-studded spy comedy failed to capture the box office imagination
In short: Directed by Greg Mottola and featuring a high-profile cast, the 2016 action comedy Keeping Up with the Joneses aimed for suburban laughs but landed as a box office bomb. Despite its premise of ordinary neighbors uncovering a secret agent duo, the film struggled to resonate with both critics and audiences.
Released in October 2016, Keeping Up with the Joneses was a production of Fox 2000 Pictures that faced significant commercial hurdles. With a budget of $40 million, the film ultimately grossed only $29.9 million worldwide. Its opening weekend performance was particularly underwhelming; while projections anticipated between $7 million and $9 million, the film managed only $5.6 million. This placed it seventh at the box office, trailing behind the debut of another Zach Galifianakis project, Masterminds, which had earned $6.6 million the previous month.
The film’s narrative centers on Jeff and Karen Gaffney, a suburban couple who become entangled in the espionage activities of their new neighbors, Tim and Natalie Jones. While the plot involves high-stakes elements like international arms dealers and corporate treason at a defense contractor, critics found the execution lacking. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 19% approval rating, with the critical consensus describing it as a witless adventure that failed to utilize its talented ensemble. Metacritic echoed this sentiment, assigning it a score of 34 out of 100, indicating generally unfavorable reviews.
Despite the negative reception, the film did receive some recognition, earning three nominations at the 2017 Teen Choice Awards, including nods for actors Zach Galifianakis and Gal Gadot. However, reviewers like Jon Frosch of The Hollywood Reporter criticized the script as stale, and Ben Kenigsberg of The New York Times noted that the lack of humor was surprising given the director's history. Ultimately, the project serves as a case study in how a promising premise and a recognizable cast do not guarantee a successful cinematic outing.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Keeping Up with the Joneses (film)
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