Spy
This is a
very funny movie. The laughs run throughout the movie with all actors
contributing. Melissa McCarthy leaves angry Tammy and the loud mouth bridesmaid
at the door for Susan Cooper, a shy and insecure desk agent. McCarty has fine comedic
timing and her sharp commentary give the film an enjoyable and steady pace. She
uses her girth as an asset for physical comedy which is impressive (or is it a
body double?)
The plot is
to stop the sale of a portable nuclear device. Susan goes from desk to field
agent because she is unrecognizable to enemy. Her target is Rayana Boyanov, the
daughter of the bomb maker, played brilliantly by Rose Byrne. The look of
disdain is tattooed on Byrne’s face. Her dresses look like they come from the
hooker section of Fredrick’s of Hollywood; but her pumps are gorgeous. Her
mouth is as foul as she is beautiful. Besides trying to kill each other there
is repartee between Susan and Rayana insulting each other’s fashion choices. To fit into a high class casino Susan loses
her polyester for a hugh designer black gown which resembles a Bedouin tent
with feet.
Jude Law is
the suave secret agent who Susan secretly loves. He is oblivious to her,
fixated only on his perfect hair and pressed tux. His skill is dispatching bad
guys and bedding bad girls.
Jason Statham
leaves his comfort zone. He exchanges his karate skills and visible abs for a
comic persona. He is a disgruntled, not too bright, foul mouth agent. The target of his salvos is Susan and they are
some of the best lines in the movie. I give him a B+ for the temerity to do
comedy, but his timing is as rough as his sandpaper beard.
Miranda Hart plays Susan’s pal and she too is
inept in the field. Miranda is an English actress from a BBC TV series, “Call
the Midwife”. She is very tall, very funny and perfect the side kick. She towers
over the stunted McCarthy and they make the perfect Mutt and Jeff.
Bobby Cannavale
is the suave nuke buyer. Bobby usually appears in a tee shirt holding a beer uttering
a guttural Jersey accent. Putting Bobby in a tux with coiffed hair challenges Method
Acting. He had little screen time but his parody was a fine contribution.
An
embarrassing Italian parody is Aldo, played by Peter Serafinowicz. He is the embodiment
of every distasteful Roman/Italian stereotype. His sexual overtures to Susan
are vulgar and relentless. He leaves more finger prints on her ass than at
crime scene.
Honorable
mention goes to 50 cent. His contribution was just showing up. Mercifully he
did not try to act.
See the movie,
you can do worse this season.
