Parents' Guide to

Keeping Up with the Joneses

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Fresh, funny action comedy has some violence, racy bits.

Movie PG-13 2016 101 minutes
Keeping Up with the Joneses Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 17+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Carol B.
Carol B. Adult
June 22, 2017
age 18+

Use of language

Use of god**** a couple of times but it didn't reflect above under language. Disappointed because I rented it based on Common Sense medias review that t did not have this specific language but it does.

This title has:

Too much swearing
John H.
John H. Adult
December 3, 2016
age 16+

COMMON SENSE LIED TO ME AGAIN!!!!

After reading this review I expected so many good things from this movie. This movie was not funny and was not exciting at all. I am disappointed in these reviews. This was not a very good movie but it was still better than Masterminds.
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES, Jeff and Karen Gaffney (Zach Galifianakis and Isla Fisher) live happily in the suburbs with their kids. Jeff is an HR manager at a tech company, while Karen works part-time as an interior designer. After sending their kids to camp, they discover that new neighbors, the Joneses, are moving in next door. Tim (Jon Hamm) is a travel writer, and Natalie (Gal Gadot) is a baker, blogger, and philanthropist. They seem too good to be true ... and maybe they are, as Karen and Jeff increasingly get the feeling that the Joneses may actually be spies.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (12):

This satisfyingly irreverent action comedy is just what the doctor ordered for viewers for longing for a fun escape. Fisher and Galifianakis are pitch-perfect as parents who find themselves with too much time on their hands after the kids are shipped away to camp. And they then wind up feeling less than perfect after meeting their new, more sophisticated neighbors. Gadot and Hamm complete the strong quartet of stars; their characters have an entertaining, if a bit predictable, storyline.

What elevates Keeping Up with the Joneses is how it sneaks in insightful observations about marriage, identity, and friendships among its hi-jinks and hilarity. Sure, there are some holes in the plot, but who cares when the end result is good old-fashioned laughs?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Keeping Up with the Joneses handles violence. Since two of the main characters are spies, mayhem and killing are part of the plot. How does the humorous tone affect the impact of the violence?

  • Do you consider the characters role models? Why or why not?

  • What does the film have to say about male friendships, and how they form? Is it different for women? Why or why not?

  • The movie has some surprising takeaways about parenting, especially as children get older and spend longer stretches away from their parents. Does its handling of these subjects seem realistic?

Movie Details

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