GAL GADOT IN COMEDY AND ACTION OF BLOCKBUSTER PROPORTIONS IN “KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES”

Press release

 From the producers of worldwide blockbuster and genre-defining action films such as “Gladiator”, “Minority Report” and “Men in Black” films, Laurie MacDonald and Walter F. Parkes give action-comedy a new tick in “Keeping Up with the Joneses,” starring Gal Gadot, Isla Fisher, Jon Hamm and Zach Galifianakis.    

Photo credit: 20^th Century Fox

              “Keeping Up with the Joneses” sees Gal Gadot as a spy married to another spy, played by Jon Hamm, together they are Mr. and Mrs. Jones (Natalie and Tim) who just moved in to a quiet neighbourhood.  The Joneses stunning looks are only matched by the worldly sophistication of their lives.  Tim Jones is an accomplished travel writer whose hobbies include blowing his own glass sculptures, and his wife Natalie is social media consultant, cooking blogger, and heroine to the plight of Sri Lankan orphans. 

              Within the neighborhood lives the Gaffneys, Jeff and Karen, played by Galifianakis and Fisher who have been living a simple unperturbed life until the Joneses moved in.  With their kids away for the first time at summer camp, the Gaffneys hope to spend some quality alone-time and reignite the romantic fire that has started to flicker.    This proves easier said than done when Karen’s imagination is distracted by the sudden arrival of new neighbors on the cul-de-sac. As Karen asks, “Why would people this attractive and accomplished ever want to live here?”

              Parkes and Macdonald add that they also sparked to the idea of a suburban couple who, says Parkes, “desperately wants to be friends with their neighbors.  This connection provides a recognizable and emotional foundation for a high-concept comedy—that the film wasn’t just about playing the gag.”

              Gal Gadot, who recently starred as Wonder Woman in “Batman v. Superman”, and who reprises the role in the upcoming “Wonder Woman” and “Justice League”, portrays Natalie, an ex-Mossad agent who now works for the Agency, and is partnered with her husband.  “When we meet them, Natalie and Tim have a good relationship, except that he doesn’t share a lot with her,” says Gadot.  “Tim may even be a little intimidated by Natalie.  After all, she’s quite dominant and is always in control.  Natalie wants things to happen when she wants them to happen.”

              Moreover, the fetching but tough-as-nails Natalie absolutely will not tolerate disrespect, which some of her neighbors learn the hard way during an annual cul-de-sac celebration known as Junetoberfest.  Jealous of Natalie’s, well, everything, the women turn on her immediately, while the men drip of condescension when she joins them in a soon-to-be-not-so-friendly game of darts.  

              Like her on-screen hubby, Gadot relished the chance to do comedy.  “I was thrilled on how easy the laughs came for me when I was reading the script,” she says, pointing to one scene where Natalie suddenly steps out of a department store dressing room—wearing nothing but a thong and low-cut bra—to confront Karen, who had been following her mysterious new neighbor.  Here, again, the film’s mix of laughs and unexpected moments of emotion and vulnerability are showcased. There’s a real sense of comedic intimidation, as Natalie easily gets control of the situation and of Karen, until Natalie suddenly lets her guard down and opens up to her. 

              Gadot’s ability to intimidate, even in humorous circumstances, impressed many on set, including her director.  “Gal has this great intensity,” Mottola notes.  “She can be very serious and intense, and then she breaks into a smile and, on a dime, turns into the warmest, most earthy woman who’s just so sweet.”

              Get ready for the Mr. and Mrs. spy games when “Keeping Up with the Joneses” opens in cinemas on October 19 from 20^th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

ISLA FISHER IN “KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES”

Press release

ISLA FISHER SPIES ON NEIGHBORS IN “KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES”

                Multi-talented Isla Fisher, noted for her roles in “Confessions of a Shopaholic”, “Now You See Me” and “The Wedding Crashers”  will next be seen in the high-octane action-comedy “Keeping Up with the Joneses” which also stars Gal Gadot, Zach Galifianakis and Jon Hamm.

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox

                Directed by Greg Mottola, one of comedy’s most popular directors in recent times (“Superbad”), his latest helmer “Keeping Up with the Joneses” is about an ordinary suburban couple (Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher) who discovers it’s not easy keeping up with their impossibly gorgeous and ultra-sophisticated new neighbors, the Joneses (Jon Hamm, Gal Gadot)  – especially when they discover that Mr. and Mrs. “Jones” are really covert operatives. 

                Fisher takes on the role of Karen Gaffney, blissfully married to Jeff (Galifianakis) on a quiet cul-de-sac neighbourhood.  With their kids out on summer camp, Karen clicks away time by redesigning bathrooms and waiting on Jeff to come home from work...until the Joneses moved in.  Upon meeting the gorgeous couple, Tim (Hamm) and Natalie (Gadot) Jones, Jeff and Karen instantly bonded with the Joneses.  But after noticing that the Joneses’ lives are somehow too perfect, Karen pushes Jeff to investigate further by crashing into the couple’s house. It turns out that Karen is right…about the Joneses. Ultimately, they become a happier and more fulfilled couple, thanks to their misadventures with the covert duo.

                Despite Karen’s initial misgivings, Jeff sees in Tim the coolest best friend he could only dream of having – while Karen, too, is soon seduced in Natalie’s glamorous and sexy approach to suburban life.   But as soon as the friendship seems to be cemented, The Gaffneys find themselves in the center of a storm of international espionage that will give them a breathtaking glimpse of life “outside the cul de sac” --  and will show both couples what “being a good neighbor” really means.  

                Isla Fisher explains:  “The Gaffneys need to get in touch with one another, romantically and emotionally.  They eventually get there, but in the craziest kind of ways.”   The actress further notes that she embraced the story’s premise because “there’s so much comedy inherent in a suburban couple with their noses pressed to the glass, envying their neighbors’ glamorous lives.”

                “One of the things getting in the couple’s way is Karen’s obsession with the Joneses; she’s convinced there’s something …off…about them.  Why would people who look, act and dress like they do move to their neighborhood, she wonders.  It’s a way for Karen to avoid looking at herself or the marriage, or consider what she and Jeff could be doing to make things better now that the kids are away,” director Mottola shares. 

                While comedy gold is mined from the chasm separating the two couples’ lifestyles, demeanor and professions, there is indeed an important commonality between the two pairings: the Gaffneys eventually learn that the picture-perfect Joneses share the same kinds of problems endemic to their union—and to virtually all marriages.

                A fun-filled date movie for all couples, rated PG by the local censors board.

“HANGOVER’S” ZACH GALIFIANAKIS GIVES COMEDY-ACTION ROLE NEW TWIST IN “KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES”

Press release

Zach Galifianakis, who came to worldwide attention with his recurring comedic role in the highly-successful “Hangover” franchise reveals another side of comedy-in-action in the upcoming espionage movie “Keeping Up with the Joneses” that also stars Wonder Woman Gal Gadot, “Shopaholic’s” Isla Fisher and “Mad Men’s” Jon Hamm.

Photo credit: 20^th Century Fox

                “Keeping Up with the Joneses” sees Jeff and Karen Gaffney (Galifianakis and Fisher) for the first time in 11 years, find themselves facing a challenge that all parents eventually face: the empty next.   With their kids away for the first time at summer camp, the Gaffneys hope to spend some quality alone-time and reignite the romantic fire that has started to flicker.    This proves easier said than done when Karen’s imagination is distracted by the sudden arrival of new neighbors on the cul-de-sac:  The Joneses, played by Gadot and Hamm whose stunning looks are only matched by the worldly sophistication of their lives.  Soon Karen asks, “Why would people this attractive and accomplished ever want to live here?”

                Jeff Gaffney is one of those guys, says Zach Galifiankis, who “puts a positive face on everyone and everything, so it’s fun to watch him lose it when faced with real danger.  I loved playing a character that starts coming unraveled, thanks to the spies he’s becoming friends with.”

                Jeff even puts a positive spin on his mid-management job in human resources, arguably one of the least respected professions in our corporate culture.  “It’s clear Jeff is good at what he does in what many people would describe as a less-than-desirable position,” says Galifiankis.  “But he approaches it like it’s the job he was chosen for.  Jeff even has a deeply patronizing “HR face”—a representation of him thinking, processing and doing what HR managers do.  And it works for him!  He does a great job of getting people to share and open up,” says Galifiankis.

                “I created the HR face,” he continues, describing it as “a mix of boredom and intense understanding of the issue that has brought the employee to HR.  Jeff is trying so hard to listen to whoever is complaining to him and make them believe he cares.  A perfect blend of laser-like concentration and I’m-drifting-off ennui, concluding. It’s this—how Jeff listens to people when he’s trying to act intelligent.” 

                Director Greg Mottola holds a little more caustic view of Jeff and his profession.  “The people who have to show up in his office are often in a foul mood.”  But he loves the job, anyway, right?  “Jeff is an eternally optimistic guy, so, yes, he’s tried take pride in being in HR.  But I think Jeff isn’t fully aware of how much his life sucks until the Joneses come along and point that out to him.”

               

                Producer Laurie Macdonald says that Galifianakis took full advantage of the opportunity to play Jeff.  “Zach approached the film and the role very much as an actor.  This isn’t a comedian who’s acting; this is an actor who’s bringing tremendous comic gifts to a role.  He’s the emotional heart and soul of the film.”

                “Keeping Up with the Joneses’ opens October 19 in cinemas nationwide from 20^th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

DOUBLE DOSE OF MR. AND MRS. IN HIGH-OCTANE SPY COMEDY “KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES”

Press release

Multi-talented actors Zach Galifianakis, Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher and Gal Gadot join forces in the explosive sexy action comedy “Keeping Up With the Joneses.”

                Zach Galifianakis, best known for his breakout role in the “Hangover” film series pairs up with the versatile Isla Fisher (known for her roles in “Confessions of a Shopaholic” and “Now You See Me”) as husband and wife - Jeff and Karen Gaffney, a suburban couple living an ideal quiet life, until they their new neighbours moved in, the Joneses.  The Joneses, played by Gal Gadot aka Wonder Woman and award-wining Jon Hamm (Mad Men tv series) are secret government agents in the movie. The Joneses are camouflaged as a glamorous, sophisticated, picture-perfect couple who rocked the Gaffney’s world on the first day they moved into the neighborhood. 

                After the initial meet-and-greet, the Gaffneys and the Joneses form a special bond, but Karen soon notices there is something odd with the Joneses.  With Karen’s prodding, she convinces Jeff to spy on the couple’s house while they’re away.  Only to find out that the Joneses are spies!  Soon, the Gaffneys are embroiled into the dizzying and dangerous world of espionage so much that they realize it’s not easy keeping up with the Joneses.

                The great chemistry between Galifianakis and Hamm in the movie as good friends is rooted from a real off-cam friendship. “I've known Jon, I've known Jon before Jon was truly Jon Hamm, and he's a comedy guy. He's really funny, you know. A lot of leading type guys like that, they don't have humor. They think they do, but they don't.  It's almost unfair that he can do both. It's really frustrating because I'm certainly not going to be a, no one is ever going to go, 'You know, Zach does handsome really well.' So, Jon, he just is funny, and he's funny like a comedian is funny, you know, not, 'Look, an actor is funny.' He's funny, and so Jon and I had this, just a friendship, and I'd hoped we'd work together.  I think Jon and I got together over the last couple years and we talked about a couple of things that, and then this kind of happened and I'm glad that it did. It seemed like a good fit,” shares Zach from his recent interviews for the movie.

                “Keeping Up with the Joneses” opens October 19 in cinemas nationwide from 20^th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

GAL GADOT IN HER LATEST ACTION COMEDY PIC “KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES”

Press release

“Mr. and Mrs. Smith” meets “Date Night” couple in the upcoming action comedy “Keeping Up with the Joneses” starring Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher, Gal Gadot and Jon Hamm.

Photo credit: 20th Century Fox

                “Keeping Up with the Joneses” follows an ordinary suburban couple Jeff (Galifianakis) and Karen (Fisher) living in solace until an ultra stylish couple, (Gadot and Hamm) moves in to the neighbourhood.  Spying on their new neighbours, they find it hard to keep up with the Joneses especially when they discover that Mr. and Mrs. “Jones” are covert operatives.