Spy

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.