Making a film for a star is not a new Hollywood concept, its been done since we discovered what stars can do for film’s box office. Still there hasn’t quite been someone in the package of one Melissa McCarthy to build one around. Thank goodness for Spy then, the smart, wickedly pointed spoof of all spy films, that gives her an amazing movie to lead.
Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) is a CIA analyst tasked with helping Agent Fine (Jude Law) through some of the most dangerous missions. When Fine is killed in the line of duty by Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne), Susan and the entire agency are shaken to the core. with the knowledge of all their top agents including Rick Ford (Jason Statham) known, Susan decides that she is going to step up and volunteer for service. The world’s most unassuming agent soon gets put on its most important case after she manages to con her way into being Rayna’s bodyguard and trying to go on a mission to stop the sale of a nuclear warhead and avenge her partner.
Getting right into it, the script is where Spy both falters and excels. For the entirety of the first act, I was sitting there in anticipation of the film, rather than going along with it. It’s too stuck in spy movie cliches, the humor is played so broadly, and it felt like the movie was more concerned about being a spy movie than actually being one. But then something strange happens once Susan Cooper gets in the orbit of Rayna. The movie snaps into focus as our spy has to actually do spy work and really try and go undercover. Once this happens, the jokes get sharper, while getting more bawdy, the plot gets more interesting and in fact, the movie feels like a film. There are sequences in this movie that are incredibly well composed from a visual standpoint as well as being incredibly gutbustingly funny.
I think one of the reasons why this movie succeeds is that it doesn’t treat its main character with kid gloves or disdain. Much will be made of the language used to describe Susan (there’s endless jokes about her weight/stature/clothing choice) but with McCarthy, Susan more than gives what she takes. And honestly, who cares about that when you see how qualified she is and she’s drop kicking people in the throat? Spy does right what so many other spoofs don’t in that it allows its hero to be just that.
It’s easy to do that when you have someone with the amazing talents of Melissa McCarthy. She literally gets to do any and everything an actor can do: action, drama, broad comedy, bawdy comedy and physical comedy, more often than not in one single scene. She’s aided by a wonderful supporting cast led by the incomparable Rose Byrne as Rayna, who while not being hysterically funny, gifts the movie an incredible comedic energy. Jude Law uses much of his past movie star charisma to make Agent Fine more than just a stock character. In a surprising turn, Jason Statham almost walks away with the film as the brash and arrogant agent Rick Ford, who provides McCarthy with her sharpest on screen partner.
Also, how amazing was that theme?