Spy is a blandly forgettable name for a film, but in their third outing together director Paul Fieg and his muse Melissa McCarthy strike comedy gold yet again.
McCarthy plays Susan Cooper, a CIA analyst who works behind a desk, partnering with a smooth talking debonair field agent who goes by the aptronym Bradley Fine (Jude Law, unexpectedly hilarious). Cooper nurtures a massive crush on Fine, who seems completely oblivious, to the point where, when he is murdered, she offers to go into the field herself to try and avenge his death. Of course all sorts of complications spring up, but despite having spent most of her years as a desk jockey, Cooper proves herself to be preternaturally adept at the spy game and her quick wits, confidence and brusque attitude always are on hand to help her save the day.
The script is pretty solid, delivering up enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. But the real treat of the movie are in the performances. By now everyone knows that McCarthy is an Oscar nominated comedienne, but I could not have predicted such hilarious performances out of Jude Law or Jason Statham who absolutely kills it as one of the CIA's ultra serious field agents who is completely over the top but can't see the humour in his own ridiculousness. Also great: Allison Janney in a small role as the head of the CIA, British comedienne Miranda Hart as Susan's bestie and Rose Byrne as a bratty villain.
McCarthy plays Susan Cooper, a CIA analyst who works behind a desk, partnering with a smooth talking debonair field agent who goes by the aptronym Bradley Fine (Jude Law, unexpectedly hilarious). Cooper nurtures a massive crush on Fine, who seems completely oblivious, to the point where, when he is murdered, she offers to go into the field herself to try and avenge his death. Of course all sorts of complications spring up, but despite having spent most of her years as a desk jockey, Cooper proves herself to be preternaturally adept at the spy game and her quick wits, confidence and brusque attitude always are on hand to help her save the day.
The script is pretty solid, delivering up enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. But the real treat of the movie are in the performances. By now everyone knows that McCarthy is an Oscar nominated comedienne, but I could not have predicted such hilarious performances out of Jude Law or Jason Statham who absolutely kills it as one of the CIA's ultra serious field agents who is completely over the top but can't see the humour in his own ridiculousness. Also great: Allison Janney in a small role as the head of the CIA, British comedienne Miranda Hart as Susan's bestie and Rose Byrne as a bratty villain.