Spy (2015) | Movie Review

What, exactly, is a ‘typical Melissa McCarthy movie’? I have heard that repeatedly about “Spy” as its release has neared, and you can consider my mind still firmly boggled. ‘Spy looks like every other Melissa McCarthy movie’. Are you certain? I sure don’t recall any other McCarthy films where she played a CIA desk-analyst who thrusts herself into the field as an undercover operative in order to avenge her fallen comrade at the hands of a criminal mastermind.

Maybe I should have paid more attention in “Tammy”.

Like any comedian, McCarthy has had her share of cinematic hits (“The Heat”, “Bridesmaids”) and misses (“Identity Theft”, “Tammy”). She also has been one of the more consistently hilarious actors, even in those film whiffs, ever since we were first smitten with McCarthy and her heated undercarriage a several years back. Swimming in a sea of comedic nitwits, she has maintained a successful career in both film and television that ANY actor would be envious of. Melissa McCarthy is a star.

And yet, instead of playing it safe and jumping into “The Heat 2: Now We’re Boiling” or “Bridesmaids: Let’s Do That Again”, McCarthy and her directing partner-in-crime, Paul Feig, concocted a ballsier plan: Make her a female James Bond. No, not the bumbling spy some would surmise from those early trailers. As the film progresses, and she gains more comfortableness in asserting her own abilities, we find out McCarthy’s Susan Cooper is, to the contrary, a damn good spy. Not quite Daniel Craig, but a hell of a lot better than Roger Moore. So good, in fact, she makes the overconfident machismo of Rick Ford – a persona eschewing Jason Statham – appear about as threatening as a pudding pop.

Yes, you read that correctly. In “Spy”, Melissa McCarthy is more badass than Jason Statham.  Even after Susan’s handlers – led by the erstwhile brashness of Allison Janney – elect to use the guise of oblivious vacationers to conceal her identity abroad, Cooper immediately abandons protocol and utilizes her detailed skillset in order to interject herself into the life of Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne). To prove her worth, Cooper engages in much kickassery and gunplay, surprising Rayna and even herself with her suave effectiveness.

Director Paul Feig knows comedy rhythm depends on the players, and reuniting “Bridesmaids” co-stars McCarthy and Byrne was a masterstroke. There are some actors who just blend seamlessly together and these two flow like the Nile. As McCarthy banters about with her branded humor, Byrne offers a modern-day version of the straight-man, playing off every beat as on cue as anyone suffering through a J.K. Simmons music class. Rayna is a cold-hearted villainess with a curious contempt for Susan Cooper and her very odd ways. Yet as their relationship and verbal sparring grows, so does Byrne’s impeccable character traits, tics, and development. Byrne has long been one of the most versatile actresses working today, and “Spy” cements the actress as the perfect comedic foil for McCarthy’s delivery.

As Cooper uses Rayna to hunt down the aforementioned mastermind, Sergio (Bobby Cannavale), Rick Ford trails her from the shadows. Only Jason Statham’s Ford is fairly daft at actually performing as a secret agent. The true buffoonery of “Spy” lies not with McCarthy, but with Statham. It is beyond wondrous to see such a pigeonholed actor finally get the opportunity to stretch his wings and fly, as he completely destroys his own cocky image in the process. Ford is a surprisingly minimal, yet career redefining performance for the former Transporter.

Statham’s absolute incompetence coupled with McCarthy’s brilliant timing and Byrne’s pitch-perfect deadpan delivery creates a trifecta of fun that had this reviewer demanding a sequel before the ending credits even hit the screen. The only downside to the strength of these three, is that it completely shuts out the otherwise enjoyable turn from Jude Law as the assumed heir-apparent to the Bond throne. Oh well. Maybe you’ll get stronger material in the sequel, Jude.

Paul Feig and company deliver an action-comedy for adults that fires on all cylinders, even managing to keep the numerous set-pieces exhilarating. For a story that seems like it should bleed clichés at ever turn, “Spy” is a thrilling romp from start to finish. Not only that, McCarthy offers her fullest and most effective performance to date. If this is a ‘typical Melissa McCarthy film’, I can’t wait for the trilogy.

Starring Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Jude Law
Written by Paul Feig
Directed by Paul Feig

Aaron Peterson
The Hollywood Outsider