“Keeping Up with the Joneses”carries action

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We all need a welcomed break from the stress of this political season. So it’s good to see a silly, mindless, slapstick farce; but enough about the debates. “Keeping Up with the Joneses” portrays life in Suburbia, USA, combining the Tom Hanks comedy “The Burbs” (1989) and Keri Russell’s TV spy-drama “The Americans.”

Writer Michael LeSieur (“You, Me and Dupree”) was intrigued by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s portrayal of husband-and-wife super spies, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005). He wondered about their neighbors, living a routine life, watching this attractive, sophisticated couple moving into a neighborhood to which they don’t seem to belong.

LeSieur combined all that with some aspects of his friends living their seemingly idyllic lives on a quiet cul-de-sac and felt, “There’s a whole other movie going on from the neighbors’ perspective; it’s a rich premise.” Funnyman Zach Galifianakis and the spirited Isla Fisher play quiet suburbanites Jeff and Karen Gaffney.

Their lives change when the house across the street is bought for cash, sight unseen, by a seemingly perfect couple, Tim and Natalie Jones. They are played by suave “Mad Man,” Jon Hamm and the new “Wonder Woman,” striking Israeli actress Gal Gadot. Jeff is thrilled to have such exciting new neighbors, while Karen is immediately suspicious.

There is nothing about this lightweight flick that we haven’t seen before, other than the interaction of these four talented stars. They are genuinely enjoying themselves and bring the audience along for the ride. It is fun, funny and carries the requisite level of action, drama and camaraderie. Most of all, they effectively connect with the audience.

Stunt coordinator Steven Ritzi staged the motorcycle and car chases for maximum impact. Director Greg Mottola (“Superbad”) avoided green screen and CGI effects in favor of what he calls a “you are there” feel with an old-school action vibe saying, “I felt if we were going to do one major action set piece, let’s do it right.”

Jon Hamm did much of the driving himself. In preparation, Hamm says he “drove around an empty parking lot for hours to get used to the car and its moves.” Co-star Isla Fisher explained about Hamm, “He can smash something with his elbow while kicking in a door, and pull out a gun at the same time.” Galifianakis doesn’t have to do much to make people laugh, but his expressions and comedic timing will gratify his ever-growing fan base.

The fun stems from this suburban couple inadvertently becoming embroiled in an international espionage plot. Spoiler alert: They discover that these suspicious neighbors are indeed spies. Jeff is a lowly human resources manager for MBI, a military-industrial corporation, whose slogan reads, “Global Order Through Superior Technology.” They specialize in satellites, missile technology, radar, and telecommunications systems.

As the men begin to bond, Tim might be having second thoughts about his career choice. However, you might say Natalie is a real Bond Gal. This statuesque warrior effortlessly projects a menacing persona for her recent and upcoming roles. Actress Isla Fisher, who was raised in Australia, is attractive, funny and might be one of the most underrated performers in Hollywood today.

“Keeping Up with the Joneses” is 105 minutes and rated PG-13 for sexual content, action/violence and brief strong language. For those familiar with Atlanta, the neighborhood was filmed in the northwest part of town, bar scenes filmed at the Red Brick Brewing Company, and the downtown Hyatt doubled as the penthouse suite.

Producers Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald also produced the “Men in Black” series, which explains the action and comedy. All four stars are wonderful, but you’ll want to see this for the zany Galiafinakis. As a long time friend of Hamm, he offers, “Jon is a comedy guy. As a leading man, it’s almost unfair that he can do both.” This is not a great movie, but the action-comedy kills time and puts a smile on your face.