Spy *** (2015, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Jason Statham, Jude Law) – Movie Review

There’s no false advertising here. Spy does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a spy movie and it stars Melissa McCarthy. Fans of both need look no further.

Actually it’s a spy spoof. A James Bond spy spoof? Are you kidding? No, apparently not. James Bond movies may be way out of their time, but, if so, spy spoofs are even more so.

And because it’s a James Bond spy spoof, a number of unfortunate Brits have been signed up to support the fulsome star – Jason Statham, Jude Law and Miranda Hart. None of them is seen at their best, though Statham emerges best through his smooth ability to time a one-liner. Law is the least good, a proper serious actor with no real idea how to raise a laugh. Hart is not an actress, but she does her schtick well enough.

Talking of schtick, McCarthy goes through her fat, angry, middle-aged woman act yet again, with much venom and dynamism. If you’re a fan, this is quintessential McCarthy. She’s energetic and hard working. She’s the John Candy de nos jours. She plays desk-bound CIA analyst Susan Cooper, who volunteers to go undercover with a fake name and identity to help take down a deadly arms dealer and prevent global disaster.

Rose Byrne just about gets away with her weird comedy turn as McCarthy’s evil nemesis, Raina Boyanov. Allison Janney’s a funny woman, enjoying a chunky support role as the MI6 boss Elaine Crocker, but she’s playing a character that even says she doesn’t have a sense of humour, so that’s not funny.

Bobby Cannavale is wasted as a comedy villain, De Luca. 50 Cent gives the best ever impersonation of 50 Cent. Never thought we’d see Hart coming on to 50 Cent! Peter Serafinowicz gives an extremely dodgy turn as a comic Italian. Not racist at all.

Much too long at two hours, though you could call that giving good value, the fast-moving movie itself is both slick and slack, with too much reliance on foul language, innuendo and stereotyping, as well as a couple of flashes of graphic nudity and playful filthy fun with lady part words. Just the sort of thing that makes a big hit. People round me were laughing hysterically. I quote the internet: ‘Melissa is a comedic genius.’

Writer-director Paul Feig made Bridesmaids and The Heat with McCarthy, and is set to reboot Ghostbusters (2016). His exhaustive and exhausting script leaves no spy spoof idea unused. It hasn’t a subtle or new bone in its body, but it reanimates an old one effectively.

The climactic helicopter action sequence required an extra week of second unit work.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Movie Review

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