Fallin' In Laugh
Reasonable expectations suggest an opening weekend slightly under the $41 million debut of The Heat, which of course had a red hot Sandra Bullock as a co-star and also debuted during a rather barren landscape for female-centric summer movies. This time around Spy is merely one of many, which is good for the industry even if it theoretically limits the potential for each respective entry.
In fact, the film’s key joke is how exceptional of a secret agent Susan Cooper turns out to be the moment she is given the chance. And, perhaps most surprisingly, it is a mostly uncompromised out-and-out action thriller, where the fights, chases, and shootouts are about as big as you’d expect from a lower-budgeted male-centric action movie. Now Paul Feig is no John Singleton or Justin Lin, but the film balances the line between being a comedy and a genuine thriller. The core of Spy is that it is a “real” 007-type adventure with McCarthy tossed into the middle of the action. Like that personal favorite of mine If Looks Could Kill, Spy is a deadly-serious story that just happens to contain witty and/or funny characters, which makes it an uncommonly enjoyable romp.
Spy is a highly enjoyable action comedy, with relatively high marks going to both departments. This isn’t The Winter Soldier-level spectacle, but the action sequences are more-than-competent and never feel like they are watered down on the basis of being a comedy or being a female-centric action film. And what action exists is shot and edited in a clear and comprehensive manner so that we can always see whatever it is we’re supposed to see. And for those who came for the comedy portion of said action-comedy description, you will absolutely get your money’s worth. The screenplay isn’t anything beyond a standard “find the nuke, stop the sale” narrative, but the film has a host of colorful characters that gives it a genuine richness and pop. Jude Law makes a dashing 007-type, even if I wonder why he ditched his natural accent, while Allison Janney wins real laughs as a cynical but reasonable superior.
Spy is the real deal. It is a female-centric action comedy hybrid that makes no apologies whatsoever in any respective categories. It not only puts a female in the center of the action but also surrounds her with other game comedic actresses in the service of a story that subtly comments on the real loss society suffers when it excludes those who don’t fit the proverbial mold. It is genuinely funny, with next-to-none of the humor generated by jokes about McCarthy’s body or her character’s alleged incompetence.
Scott Mendelson
But the film still belongs to McCarthy who relishes a comic lead role where she plays a character closer to Sookie on Gilmore Girls than Tammy who just happens to get tossed into a xXx-style spy movie. She even gets a few outright brutal fight scenes, including a face-off with Nargis Fakhri that would feel at home in The Bourne Supremacy. The highest compliment I can pay Spy is that I would love to see a sequel set in this worlde. Melissa McCarthy has more than just a great star vehicle and a likely box office winner on her hands. She may have just “stumbled” into her first franchise.
Laugh Per Magazine
- Hal 7