Spy

Spy

Starring Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Jason Statham, Jude Law

Directed by Paul Feig

The Story:
Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) works for the CIA - in a basement, at a call center, being the voice in the ear of super spy Bradley Fine (Jude Law).  She directs him through danger for each and every mission, yet she's never hit the field.

That is, until Fine comes into contact with Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne), a deadly killer who is the only person who knows where a nuclear bomb is located.  Rayna kills Fine, and Susan volunteers to enter the field, since Rayna knows the identity of every covert CIA agent - she would be the perfect cover, since she's unknown.  Despite hesitations from fellow spy Rick Ford (Jason Statham), Susan's boss (Allison Janney) agrees to send Susan to the field.

With the aid of her friend Nancy (Miranda Hart), Susan infiltrates Rayna's inner circle (despite Ford's constant attempts to "aide" her).  As she delves deeper into Rayna's world, she fears her cover could be blown, as a rogue CIA agent is also out there, and her identity could be compromised at any time.

The Synopsis:
"Spy" is another hilarious outing from Melissa McCarthy and Paul Feig, who directed her in her Oscar-nominated role in "Bridesmaids" as well as another summer hit, "The Heat."  "Spy" spoofs the James Bond spy films, and does so with hilarious quips, one-liners, crude humor and laugh-out-loud body comedy (watching McCarthy faint twice sent me into stitches).  Not only was it a great comedy, but had some intense action sequences and dramatic moments as well, and there wasn't a low moment in the film. 

That being said, Melissa McCarthy is definitely becoming a one-note actress.  Thankfully, that note is a resounding high and very pleasing to the ears.  She's able to play the same type of character in many different genres:
In "Bridesmaids," she's the overweight friend who often gets ignored by the more attractive people.
In "Identity Thief," she's the overweight thief that other people overlooked.
In "The Heat," she's the bumbling sidekick to Sandra Bullock, who's street smart, but once again, overlooked.
In "Tammy," she's on a search of self-identity and is often overlooked by other characters.

Now, in "Spy," she's a very capable CIA agent but, due to her weight, is overlooked by the professionals around her.

Sense a pattern?  I bet her next film she'll be the overweight character overlooked by her fellow co-workers as they chase ghosts or something...

Oh wait...

Anyway, back to "Spy."  As I said earlier, McCarthy plays the same type of role in every movie she's in, but she does it to a T.  Her comedic timing is impeccable, and she makes no qualms about who she is.  This is very refreshing to the viewer, and helps you associate and root for her, even though you know perfectly well the outcome.

Along with McCarthy is the often under-appreciated Miranda Hart, who plays Susan's best friend Nancy, another CIA agent confined to the basement due to her physical appearance.  She utilizes her different body style for comedic purposes, and does so brilliantly.  Even she says so herself - "I'm very non-physically resourceful. I read a lot of intelligence, I read a lot of poems, and I've read all of the 'Hunger Games.'"  She delivers great one-liners, and the scenes where she refers to 50 Cent (who plays himself) as either "50 Cent Piece" or "50 Cents" is hilarious.

Jason Statham takes a different turn from his serious action roles to play Rick Ford, a combination of Rambo and Inspector Clouseau.  He talks big, but when push comes to shove, he fails to perform, and is often saved by Susan, to his dismay.  He's got some great comedic chops and is able to showcase them fully here (albeit a bit more subdued from his previous comedic efforts "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch"), but when he's on screen he sizzles.

Rose Byrne shines as the evil  Rayna, a no-holds-barred villainess whose dry wit oozes comedy, and also has some killer lines: 

"People are trying to kill me and all that's left of my security guard is you two and you look like someone's demented aunts on vacation!"

It's her relationship with Susan that steals the show, as both Byrne and McCarthy perfectly play well against one another:
Susan: "Well, here's to your mom"
Rayna: "To my mother.  And to you."
Susan: "And here's to you.  I mean you may never be as wise as an owl but you'll always be a hoot to me!"
Rayna:  "What a stupid toast.  You're delightful."
Susan: "As are you."
 

As the film progresses, there's a lot of unbelievable moments that people surely complain about, but it's a movie - it's not supposed to make sense.  Susan hanging off the side of a helicopter?  Probably would never happen.  Some of the moves McCarthy pulls off?  Probably could never be done.  However, each moment is a shot of pure comedic genius, and it tells a narrative of a woman who had all the talent she needed to be someone, but lacked the confidence to do it.  Once she gained that confidence, nothing could stop her.

 

A great message hidden in an action filled picture jam packed with comedy.  A surefire hit.

 

The Summary:

Melissa McCarthy takes the spy genre with the aptly named "Spy," and delivers the action as well as the comedy in perfect balance.

The Score: A-