Spy (2015)

Spy is the latest feature from comedic director Paul Feig. The film stars Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, Bobby Carnivale, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne and Miranda Hart. The film centers around CIA analyst Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) who takes a mission in the field after CIA agent Bradley Fine is killed in action trying to infiltrate the inner circle of a deadly arms dealer named Sergio De Luca. Cooper has never been an actual spy and though she did Quantico she was never allowed to do in the field work.

Melissa McCarthy is a wonderful actress both comically and dramatically speaking. What really allows this film to excel is the fact that the film hearkens back to the original spy films of the sixties specifically James Bond. McCarthy’s performance is both hilariously silly and heartwarming at the same time. The silly aspect of the film comes from the copious amount of scenes involving physically comedy where Cooper’s weight and lack of espionage skill come into play. I truly believe that director Paul Feig who previously wrote and directed Bridesmaids (2011) just knows funny women and writes for their voices based on experiences he has with them and the strong personality characteristics the actors exhibit.

What I love most about Spy isn’t the humor but the way Cooper engages with each character differently. She has unique reactions to everyone around her and people’s reactions to her personality are hilarious. Most of the time they hate her blunt nature and clumsyness and for me when Cooper is making fun of others is where the film really shines. The put downs used by Cooper are hilarious and the character’s kindness is her greatest asset.

In terms of the supporting players of Spy, Jason Statham flexes his comedic muscles and it really surprised me how much I enjoyed the jokes and dialogue he was given. Jude Law looks and acts like he is still trying to audition to be James Bond and while his character is quirky and suave I don’t feel like his overly confident spy added much to the film. Bobby Carnivale plays a very stereotypical villain role that I didn’t find very involved or engrossing but for what it’s worth the character actor does his best to make his villainy unclear until the film’s end.

I think as time has passed it is incredibly difficult for comedy to truly make someone truly laugh from physical or situational comedy. Spy is definitely one of those rare gems that honors a past genre while using humor from the present to appeal to audiences of multiple ages and backgrounds and the fact that Paul Feig was able to pull so much from the spy and thriller genre not only surprised and engrossed me but also reminded me why people go to the movies. People go to the movies to escape but also are hoping to see something of themselves in the characters they view and I saw bits of myself in Cooper Cooper. We all feel ignored some of the time or like our personality isn’t appreciated and Spy oddly teaches audiences to own who they are. While Cooper was given all the gadgets in the world what she truly discovered is that her greatest weapon is herself. We all have a bit of Cooper in us we just need to remember how and why that makes us unique and we can conquer any goal. Spy is comedy gold. See it when possible.