Directed/Written by: Paul Feig
Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Jude Law
Swift shot: I was using this film as a trial-run for Feig’s anticipated controversial female led re-imagined Ghostbusters. So, does Feig have my vote? Let me put it like this, someone asked me, “Was Spy as good as Bridesmaids?” Yes, it was on the same level as Bridesmaids, but packed with glorious violence! What I came away with was a lethally funny spy thriller that the audience sweepingly enjoyed!
Melissa McCarthy is CIA basement dweller, Susan Cooper, who serves as a virtual partner to her “James Bond” cut-out, Bradley Fine (Jude Law). In typical spy thriller fashion, Feig starts Spy out with a daring escape where Fine and Cooper show they have a wonderful working partnership. Thing is, Susan is smitten with her dashing suave comrade. Alas, he is eternally oblivious.
Together they are looking for a suitcase nuke that is destined to obliterate the UN. The location of this device is so secret that only two people in the world know its whereabouts . . . and one of them is dead. The unfortunate deceased’s bitchy daughter, Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne) is now in the catbird seat, as she is looking to unload the nuke for a hefty fee. Rayna is as ruthless as she is sexy, and has somehow obtained the No Official Cover (NOC) identities of all the CIA’s top field agents. In one chilling moment, Rayna dares the CIA to send more agents to kill, because she knows them all!
But, Rayna doesn’t know who the voice in Fine’s ear is, so after Fine is no longer in service, the CIA is desperate to find a new agent to put in the field to find the location of the suitcase nuke. Enter, Susan Cooper [Swift aside: that was the original title of the film] to save the day. Her boss, Elaine Crocker (Allison Janney) is reluctant, but hopeful that Susan will work out – as she is just supposed to track and report what she sees with the buyer and the seller. Now, Susan Cooper is a real agent, as she was intended to be.
But before any spy can head out into the field, they need a cover and some cool gadgets, enter Patrick (Michael McDonald) who steals the scene as Susan’s “Q”, or quartermaster. Instead of giving her a flying hover-board or a flamethrower or any cool shit like that . . . Patrick gives Susan a believable kit of gadgets . . . more suited to her shitty cover. And, Susan’s cover is god awful, and freakin’ hilarious.
Now, Susan is ready for the field. And it’s off to gay Paris to find the buyer, Sergio De Luca (Bobby Cannavale). But, not everyone is happy with Susan’s new position. Rick Ford (Jason Statham) has quit the agency, and is making it a personal mission to make sure Susan doesn’t fuck up, because he has zero faith in her. Statham is over-the-top ridiculous with his incredibly inflated ego, lambasting Susan with all his cool spy stories . . . that defy any credibility.
Then, there’s Nancy, played by the horizontally advantaged Miranda Hart. She is awkwardly adorable as Susan’s new virtual partner. She has to keep Susan safe and constantly remind the fledgling agent that she is only supposed to track and report on the players . . . not to engage them. Of course, Susan goes rogue – don’t all Hollywood CIA agents at some point or other?
Susan ends up infiltrating Rayna’s security detail, and that’s all I want to say about the story itself. This is a spy thriller, after all, and there’s actually suspense, besides the suspension of disbelief that Susan is a bad ass. To her credit, McCarthy took some kali lessons with a fight instructor, and during one of her edged encounters with the smoking hot Lia (Nargis Fakhri), I actually bought that she was a physical femme fatale.
And then there’s Aldo, played by Peter Serafinowicz. You’ll just have to witness his awesomeness. Every time he is on the screen, you’ll have a permanent uncomfortable grin on your face.
I worked with a real CIA “spy” in Albania, and he/she was definitely not someone that you would look at and think . . . there goes a spy. Because, let’s face it, that would be a pretty shitty spy. So, it was actually refreshing to see Hollyweird incorporate a spy that at least didn’t look like a damned spy. Like I said, Fine was a cardboard cut-out of what you expect a spy to be, whereas Susan Cooper literally wouldn’t catch a second glance. I mean, she’s no Karen Walker (Morena Baccarin). But, that is why she works as a field agent, no one is expecting her. Much like I wasn’t expecting this film to entertain me nearly as much as it did. I was laughing, heartily throughout.
Will you like it? If you liked Bridesmaids or The Heat, it’s a solid bet you’ll love Spy. It’s filled with dark slap-stick comedy, excellent fight sequences, sexy women on boats, international locations, gore and even a bit of heart, as you can relate to how excited Susan is to be an actual spy, finally. Many of the cool spies in Hollywood never look like they are having fun, that isn’t the case with McCarthy’s Susan Cooper. I hope there is a sequel, because this was such a fun film!
