“Bridesmaids” and “The Heat” director Paul Feig has returned for a third go-around with the Academy Award nominated star of those blockbuster comedies – Melissa McCarthy. “Spy” is a slick, sophisticated, very solid action comedy.
McCarthy is CIA analyst Susan Cooper. For years, Cooper has been the voice inside the earpiece of suave secret agent Bradley Fine (played by Jude Law). But desperate times can call for desperate measures. Defense head Elaine Crocker (a mostly straightforward Allison Janney) learns that Rayna Boynaov (Rose Byrne) is going to give a terrorist organization a nuclear bomb that will be set off in New York City. Boynaov knows all of the regular agents who could be assigned to the case – except for Cooper, who volunteers to go out into the field for the first time and be a real spy.
But Cooper has to tackle more than this mission – traveling around the globe to try to defeat Boynaov. She’s also got to deal with the competition – veteran fellow-agent, and quite the overachiever, Rick Ford (played by a scene-stealing Jason Statham). Ford proudly informs Cooper that he’s basically survived everything imaginable in his years as a spy. Feig, who also penned this script, is at his best when Statham’s on screen, poking fun at the spy movie genre, while, at the same time, completely immersing himself in it.
“Spy”, which does feature a James Bond-like opening sequence complete with the obligatory loud song, is the textbook example of an action comedy. There are some big laughs, but most come early, with sharp humor only sprinkled throughout the second half in between the car, motorcycle and helicopter chases, shootouts (the body count is surprisingly high) and physical fighting.
The film is a lengthy two hours, and the plot does take a few too many swerves, with each more predictable than the last. But the reason most people will want to see this is McCarthy, and she delivers not only in the comedy department but also proves that she can handle the action. Feig, who Statham recently called “The Scorsese of Comedy”, gives McCarthy plenty of moments to shine. She bounces back nicely from last Summer’s disappointing “Tammy” and may have finally found that elusive franchise she and her agents have been looking for.
On The Official LCJ Report Card, “Spy” gets a B.
Running Time: 119 min.