Written by Adam Mast
SPY (R)
Director Paul Feig is a comic genius, and you have to further admire this wonderful talent for the classy fashion in which he treats his actresses and the characters they play. He showcased this sensibility with “Bridesmaids” and “The Heat,” but with “Spy,” he truly ups the ante. This is his most entertaining film to date.
In “Spy,” Melissa McCarthy is Susan Cooper, an unassuming CIA desk analyst who jumps at the opportunity to become a field agent after tragedy strikes a little too close to home. While on a most dangerous mission, Cooper goes undercover in an effort to bond with a caustic villainess who she hopes will lead her to a ruthless arms dealer. Along the way, our fearless heroine will risk having her cover blown by a cock-sure rogue agent (played by Jason Statham) who has a righteously hilarious tendency to over-mythologize himself.
“Spy” is certainly a comedy, but this isn’t a spoof like the “Austin Powers” films. No, while funny, “Spy” plays as an honest-to-goodness globe-trotting spy movie, complete with action, intrigue, twists, turns, and unexpected surprises. Even the bad-ass opening credits tune, performed with absolute precision by the gorgeous Ivy Levan, would stand toe-to-toe with the best of the James Bond theme songs.
At two hours, is “Spy” overbloated? Maybe a little bit, but quite honestly, I was never bored. It’s consistently funny throughout and has a scope that harkens back to the days of epic comedies like “The Blues Brothers,” “Ghostbusters,” and “True Lies.”
Let’s talk about the performances in this picture, because there are a few that are well worth noting. “Spy” features some of the best work of Jason Statham’s career. Seriously! Talk about a scene stealer. This guy should hang up the action towel and do more comedy, because he has a true knack for it. Granted, a big part of the gag is that Statham opts to play the proceedings straight, but there is no doubt that he has an impeccable sense of comic timing.
Rose Byrne is an absolute riot, too. As a seemingly bored, entitled killer with daddy issues, Byrne delivers her dry-witted dialogue with absolute aplomb, and her chemistry with star McCarthy is spot on.
While we’re on the topic of McCarthy, this may very well be her strongest performance thus far. “Spy” gives McCarthy an opportunity to do her hilarious physical shtick, and as expected the proud “R” rating also gives this self-deprecating comedienne free reign to unleash a plethora of her signature colorful metaphors, but McCarthy also displays a softer, more sensitive side. As “Spy” opens, Cooper is rather timid, but by the end of the picture, she blossoms into a true heroine. You wouldn’t think that a comedy would allow McCarthy to show this much range, but “Spy” does just that.
And what a supporting cast. Jude Law, Allison Janney, Bobby Cannavale, Morena Baccarin, Miranda Hart, and 50 Cent are given ample moments to shine.
As far as I’m concerned, Paul Feig is now three for three. I can’t say enough nice things about this outstanding filmmaker. He’s cool, calm, and collected, and he simply knows how to create a perfectly comfortable environment for his performers to play in. In just three feature films, he’s proven to be one of the premiere comedy directors of the last decade, but “Spy” is more than just a great comedy. Feig proves to be surprisingly sure-handed when it comes to mounting impressive action sequences, and he’s equally adept with the film’s more dramatic flourishes.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Feig demonstrates that when it comes to big screen entertainment, this isn’t just a man’s world. This is one of the most purely enjoyable films of the year, and if the brilliant “Mad Max: Fury Road” is a representation of female empowerment in the action world, then “Spy” is certainly its comic counterpart.
