Just in time for summer, Hollywood gave us a movie with humor, action and a five-star cast. Besides the wonderful Melissa McCarthy, who was as funny as ever, it was great to see Jason Statham take on a new role and break the mold of the characters he usually plays. Rather than another crime-fighting name-taking good guy, his role as a fumbling, cocky idiot was certainly a change of pace for Statham. It was also quite the refresher for the audience.
Typically, movies that spoof other productions don’t rank high on my list to see in theaters, and I often save them for Netflix. I decided to give this one a chance, however.
“Spy” clearly spoofs the James Bond franchise, even going so far as to include opening credits that emulates some of Bond’s in its style. I enjoyed seeing Statham in a Bond spoof because there is talk of him replacing Daniel Craig as the next 007.
Melissa McCarthy was also as crass, rhetorical and crude as ever, while Statham was refreshingly cocky. If scenes of crude quips and unconventional humor mixed with action were on the menu, “Spy” dished it and then some.
McCarthy played the lead role as a CIA desk worker who longed for greener pastures. As the first half of the movie progressed, she aids a field agent, Bradley Fine, who was played by Jude Law. When his mission is compromised and he is believed to be dead, responsibility is put on McCarthy to save the day. Though she has trained as a field agent, her training is outdated and she puts on an unassuming air.
As the movie progressed into its second half, McCarthy breaks free of her quietness and we see her more well-known flamboyant and fiery personality shine through.
This movie had me in tears at several different points, I was laughing so hard. My favorite quotes from the film either came from McCarthy or were directed at her character Susan Cooper. She comments at one point on the villainess’ outfit, asking if she purposefully dressed like a “slutty dolphin trainer.” About two thirds of the way through the movie, I was pleasantly blindsided by the fact that Jude Law’s character actually wasn’t dead. It was hard for me to tell whether or not he really was a traitor or he was just very deep undercover.
There was a clear plot and they stuck to it, and the writers did their best to keep it from being formulaic. Crude humor is always a highlight for me in movies, and this movie overflowed with it. I think that it was pretty classy for a spoof, especially when compared to other Bond movie spoofs like “Kingsman: The Secret Service.”
Overall I really liked the cast and how well they worked together. They seemed to mesh and have great chemistry. The assembled team of actors and actresses for “Spy” was exceptional.