Line #32 Film/KeepingUpWithTheJoneses


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1200x630bb_5.jpg]]
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3	''Keeping Up with the Joneses'' is a 2016 {{spy\|fiction}} action comedy film directed by Greg Mottola and written by Michael [=LeSieur=].
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5	The film is about an average suburban couple--the Gaffneys, Jeff (Creator/ZachGalifianakis) and Karen (Creator/IslaFisher)--who suspect their charming and glamorous new neighbors--the Joneses, Tim (Creator/JonHamm) and Natalie (Creator/GalGadot)--are actually secret agents.
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7	The Gaffneys are proven right, and ''much'' trouble ensues...
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9	----
10	!!''Keeping Up with the Joneses'' provides examples of:
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12	* AffablyEvil: The Scorpion is a casual, friendly guy who's easy to get along with, but he's still an ruthless arms dealer willing to kill anyone who gets in his way.
13	* AlmostFamousName: The Scorpion's real name is "[[Music/BruceSpringsteen Bruce Springstine]]", which raises questions (the film treats this somewhat like an {{Unfortunate Name\|s}}). One of his henchmen even asks if it's the reason he has to call him "The Boss", to which he answers it's just "Boss".
14	* AssShove: How Dan apparently smuggled the microchips out of the MBI.
15	* BadassIsraeli: It turns out Natalie is not Greek but Israeli, and an ex-UsefulNotes/{{Mossad}} agent to boot. She's undeniably badass.
16	* BattleCouple: The Joneses, being super spies and all.
17	* BoobyTrap: The Scorpion has put explosives in the Joneses' home. Tim notices it (too late) when touching a wire with his foot... He and Natalie then have just enough time to jump through the window before it goes boom.
18	* BoomHeadshot: [[spoiler:Carl]] is shot in the head by a sniper.
19	* ButtMonkey: Carl Pronger, the head of security at MBI. His life was pretty much wrecked by his divorce, forcing him to live in a trailer home, and he's [[spoiler:rather brutally killed by one of the Scorpion's henchmen.]]
20	* ClosetKey: {{Invoked\|Trope}}. Karen pretends Natalie made her realize she's a lesbian, kissing her and passing over a knife while doing so as a way of distracting the bad guy.
21	* ColdBloodedTorture: Natalie intends to torture Dan by [[GroinAttack frying his testicles with a blowtorch]]. Jeff prevents her from doing so by discussing with Dan instead.
22	* ComeWithMeIfYouWantToLive: Jeff and Karen have a meeting with Carl to expose the Joneses, and [[spoiler:Carl gets shot in the head by a sniper]]. The Joneses then come to their rescue, asking them to get in their car, and a chase ensues.
23	* DistractedByTheSexy: Karen talks about being with Natalie in her underwear then pretends she fell for her to distract Scorpion so that she can pass a knife over.
24	* FakeOutMakeOut: When both the Gaffneys and the Joneses are captured by the Scorpion, Karen takes a knife and pretends to be attracted to Natalie then ''kisses her'' to hand the knife over to her and save the day. It's a non-disguise variant, but it's still used to fool the enemy.
25	* FromNobodyToNightmare: The dreaded international arms dealer Scorpion turns out to be a former MBI employee named Bruce Springstine.
26	* GoodAllAlong: The Gaffneys initially think the Joneses are enemy secret agents. It turns out the Joneses, as anti-heroic that their methods can be, track down terrorists, and protect the Gaffneys along the way.
27	* GunsAkimbo: Natalie uses two guns to shoot at the biker {{mooks}} during the chase. And both Tim and Natalie fire akimbo against the fez-wearing mooks in Morocco at the end.
28	* HereWeGoAgain: The Gaffneys blow the Joneses' cover over the course of the film, but the day is still saved. Then they go to Morocco on holidays... and they bump into the Joneses again, and inadvertently blow their cover ''again''. Tim has a sigh, tells a {{blatant lie\|s}} to the Gaffneys (about their cover not being blow) and a gunfight ensues between the Joneses and fez-wearing enemies.
29	* HiddenWeapons: Natalie keeps a handgun in a holster that's strapped to her stocking.
30	* LaughablyEvil: The Scorpion. It ''is'' Creator/PattonOswalt, after all.
31	* LingerieScene: Natalie gets a long one in the changing room wearing only her attractive underwear.
32	* TheKlutz: Jeff and Karen are ''very'' clumsy people.
33	* MasochistsMeal: Unless that snake restaurant is really of your taste.
34	* MoodWhiplash: The film is mostly comedic... until shit gets real when Carl gets shot in the head.
35	* MrSmith: "Jones" is a pretty common name. It is not known if it is Tim's real surname or a fake one.
36	* MsFanservice: Natalie, being played by the beautiful Creator/GalGadot. She gets a long scene in only her lingerie, and it's weaponized by Karen, who [[FakeOutMakeOut kisses her after pretending she fell for Natalie]], distracting the film's villain.
37	* NosyNeighbor: Karen. She's obsessed by the Joneses as soon as they arrive in the street, being (rightfully) convinced that they are spies.
38	* TheReveal:
39	* ShoePhone: Tim has a pen that shoots InstantSedation darts... and Jeff accidentally shoots one in Karen's face when the two of them break into the Joneses' home.
40	* SpeedSex: Jeff and Karen before the rendezvous at the hotel. While Tim is listening to them through the microphone in Jeff's tie.
41	-->'''Natalie:''' What?
42	-->'''Tim:''' I think they're having sex... Goddammit, we don't have time for this! They're supposed to be here in 45 minutes! ''[Listens again]'' Well, they are done...
43	* SpyCouple: Tim and Natalie Jones are spies, and they're "married" for cover. They still have a genuine love relation.
44	* SpyFiction: Both "Martini" (the Joneses being rather hot and glamorous) and "Bathtub Gin Flavored" (heavy involvement of civilians, the Gaffneys here).
45	* StatuesqueStunner: Natalie (it's Gal Gadot, after all). She towers over Karen (Isla Fisher) in the changing rooms scene.
46	* StockScream: One of the biker {{mooks}} Natalie kills lets the Wilhelm Scream out when crashing his bike.
47	* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Jeff is afraid of snakes. And he's brought to a restaurant where they serve ''just that'' by Tim.

Context Film / KeepingUpWithTheJoneses