KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES
An energetic spy comedy with a positive view of marriage—for adults only.
Should You Watch It?
Keeping Up with the Joneses uses a familiar spy-comedy setup, but it brings enough energy and comic invention to make the formula reasonably fun. The character-driven humor works, the action sequences are impressive, and the four lead actors give hilarious performances that suit their strengths.
The film also presents marriage positively, giving its moral worldview a welcome center. But the content is not suitable for children or young teens: strong profanity, crude innuendo, sexual references, and comic sexual situations are part of the package, along with action violence.
If you are a mature adult who can weigh those concerns, this is a solid humorous distraction. For a family with children or young teens, choose something else.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESJeff and Karen Gaffney are a bland suburban couple whose children have gone off to summer camp. Their quiet routine changes when mysterious new neighbors, Tim and Natalie Jones, move in.
Karen suspects the Joneses are hiding something, while Jeff dismisses her concerns. Then the Gaffneys discover that their neighbors have bugged their house, drawing them into a dangerous and increasingly wild spy adventure.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means this is a reasonably entertaining film with familiar foundations. The plot has been done before, but director Greg Mottola adds enough thought, energy, and spin to make it fun.
The character-driven comedy works well, and the action sequences are impressive. Zach Galifianakis, Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher, and Gal Gadot deliver hilarious performances that play to their respective strengths. The film is not especially original, but it succeeds as a lively spy comedy.
The Worldview
The film has a light moral worldview, a positive view of marriage, and strong patriotic elements. Jeff and Karen’s marriage is treated as meaningful rather than disposable, even as the story places them in an increasingly dangerous situation.
That positive center is surrounded by lying, manipulation, treason, sexual humor, and comic deception. Two women briefly kiss to distract villains, and the film includes crude innuendo and sexual references. These elements do not erase the movie’s moral view of marriage, but they do make it inappropriate for children and young teens.
The film’s view of marriage can prompt a larger Christian question about love that is committed rather than merely convenient: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church” (Ephesians 5:25).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Light moral worldview with a positive view of marriage and strong patriotic elements, plus a brief scene of two women kissing for comedic effect as they try to distract villains; 12 obscenities and profanities (including one “f” word and two Jesus profanities (one is said with “sweet baby” in front of it so it’s perhaps less malicious and more borderline), plus a couple obscene gestures; strong action, often comic violence includes a couple car chases that involve bad guys flipping from their crashed motorcycles, a couple major bomb explosions, two shootout scenes, a knife thrown into a villain’s throat bloodlessly, and some hand-to-hand combat; some crude innuendo and sexual references, sometimes intended for comical effect, includes references to female body parts, married couple frolics under blanket before being interrupted, a reference to oral sex when woman catches husband staring at a woman in a short skirt, and two women fake kiss passionately to distract villain so they can stab him with a knife; no nudity, but woman emerges in skimpy lingerie in one scene, it’s implied a married couple are naked under a blanket, and a joke about a married woman wearing lingerie under her coat for her husband; alcohol use; no smoking or drugs; and, lying, manipulation, and treason.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Jeff and Karen’s marriage remains important even when their quiet life is disrupted. What helps a marriage remain faithful and strong under pressure?
Ephesians 5:25 · 1 Corinthians 13:4–7The Joneses’ world involves lying, manipulation, and treason. When is secrecy different from deception, and why does truthfulness matter?
Ephesians 4:25 · Proverbs 12:22The film uses sexual humor and crude innuendo for comedy. How should Christians decide whether something is merely funny or harmful to the mind and heart?
Philippians 4:8 · Ephesians 5:3–4The story includes strong patriotic elements. How can love of country be honored without taking the place of love for God?
Romans 13:1 · Matthew 22:21The Final Word
This familiar spy comedy has enough energy, strong performances, impressive action, and a positive view of marriage to entertain mature adults. Its profanity and crude sexual humor make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, the answer is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For another family choice, see.
