Spy

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Spy
 (2015)

A Review by Grant Kanigan

Directed by: Paul Feig
Written by: Paul Feig
Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Jason Statham
              Jude Law
Rating: 14A
Release Date: June 5th 2015

Melissa McCarthy takes a detour in Spy
     There is no doubt that Melissa McCarthy is one of the most talented comediennes of her generation. From her virtuoso turn in Paul Feig's Bridesmaids, a keen detective in The Heat and even Alan's love interest in the unfairly maligned Hangover Part III, she's always been able to make audiences laugh. Yet, it seems as if she has relied on this fact alone as of late. Identity Thief and Tammy were two awful, boring and completely unoriginal films. It was with these films in mind that I walked into a screening of Spy, and was completely blown away. Not only is this the funniest film of McCarthy's career, it's on track to be the best comedy of 2015. 
     As we've seen with Bridesmaids and The Heat, the duo of Fieg and McCarthy is a comically explosive one. Spy is no different. The audience is introduced to Susan Cooper, (McCarthy), a docile, kind and helpful desk agent at the CIA. Her job consists of helping Agent Bradley Fine, (Jude Law), stay alive in the field, via information gathering and satellite monitoring. Along with her best friend Nancy, (Miranda Hart), Cooper dreams of being a field agent and falling into the loving arms of Agent Fine. It's only when ruthless heiress Rayna Boyanov, (Rose Byrne), follows her criminal father's footsteps, murders Fine, and leaks the personal information of the CIA's top agents that Cooper is forced to take action. With her fellow agents compromised, Cooper must track down Boyanov and stop her from taking any more CIA agents' lives. 
     Spy films, and spy comedies no less, are a dime a dozen. Austin Powers, I Spy, Spy Hard, and even the recent Kingsman: The Secret Service, all have their place in the pantheon of spy spoofs and satires. What sets Feig's film apart is it's willingness to skewer itself versus other spy films. It doesn't spend time mocking the formulaic trappings of the Bond films, or trying to be an Austin Powers clone. Like the best comedians, Spy constantly uses self depreciating humour. To the absolutely gut busting one liners of Jason Statham's Agent Rick Ford, (Statham might have a new career in comedy after his turn in Spy), to the razor sharp one liners from McCarthy's Cooper, Spy is the rare comedy  where the comedic team has thrown everything they can at the wall to see what sticks, and it all does. It's a perfect mix of unadulterated R-Rated, (by the MPAA), comedy, with a delectable swirl of smart writing and brilliant improvisation. 
     As the old saying goes, 'there is beauty in simplicity.' Feig, along with his muse McCarthy, have created a simply hilarious film. Here's hoping this isn't their last. 

Grant's Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Jason Statham & Melissa McCarthy in Spy: "Real Spy"

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