THE SPY NEXT DOOR
US, 2010, 95 minutes, Colour.
Jackie Chan, Amber Valletta, Madeline Caroll, Billy Ray Cyrus, George Lopez.
Directed by Brian Levant.
Knock, knock, who's there?
Irish stew.
Irish stew who?
Irish stew you in the name of the law.
Actually, this knock, knock riddle is told twice during the film – and indicates some of the style of humour in this variation on Spy Kids in Jackie Chan land.
There is one thing about Jackie Chan. He is always cheerful. There are actually many things, of course, about Jackie Chan who has been featuring in action films since the 1970s. He is a most agile acrobat which serves him well in the ingeniously choreographed fight scenes and the stunts he does himself. Part martial arts, part balletic moves, part slapstick, his films have been popular and often endearing: the Rush Hour films, Shanghai Noon, Shanghai Knights...
Chan has said that he had to be far more careful than usual in this one because he was working with children and he had to be sure of their safety. He also wanted to have a PG film that would be acceptable to the widest audience. This means that a lot of the fights are in rooms in houses, in a warehouse and in a Chinese restaurant and a lot of furniture and kitchen implements find themselves enlisted to fight the villains (the Russians again!) who are more comic cyphers than international terrorists despite the virus threatening formula they are searching for. They all have those pseudo-Eastern European accents that they display with great gusto.
And the plot? Chinese agent, Bob Ho (Chan), seconded to the CIA and working in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which does not seem to be the most dangerous part of the US, lives a quiet suburban life, replete with wearing spectacles to make him seem very serious. He has fallen in love with the mother next door (Amber Valetta) who has three Hollywood-obnoxious and outspoken children. The oldest is beginning teenage moodiness. The boy is more than a touch arrogant. The littlest is, well, five and more cutesy than nasty. Of course, they are going to warm to Bob Ho though they despise him as a loser and try to humiliate him and drive him away from their mother.
When he is unmasked as a genial spy, it gives Jackie Chan to go full steam in action sequences – and, for the kids (on screen and in the audience), they get the opportunity to share many action credits with Jackie. Needless to stay, mother is shocked and wants to give Jackie his marching orders. But... George Lopez is the CIA boss and Billy Ray Cyrus, without Miley, is his assistant.
This is Saturday matinee material that most young kids will enjoy and is a basic entertainment for tolerant adults accompanying the kids.
1. A Jackie Chan entertainment? The initial collage of his films and appearances during the credits? Jackie Chan in America, family film, a spy film, the technology – all in one?
2. The American city, the musical score?
3. Jackie Chan as Bob, as a secret agent, his work, capturing Poldark, interaction with the Russians? Seeing him in action, his retiring, his admiration Gillian, his interactions with the two children? Ian downloading the CIA information? Colton and his codes?
4. Poldark, character, vicious, escape, the background of oil bacteria and supporting Russian oil industry?
5. Glaze, his working in the CIA, double agent, personality, his secrecy, manipulation, the attempts to kill Bob?
6. The children, the dislike of Bob, love for their mother? The danger, Poldark pursuing them, going to the hotel, the phone call and Gillian upset?
7. The plan to trap Poldark, the surveillance? The intrusion of the kids, spoiling the plan?
8. Bob and the children being captured? Their having the information? Ian recording the confession on his mobile phone? The escape, the pursuit for the iPad? The final fight and victory?
9. The children’s adventure, Bob and his success, Gillian and her mellowing?
10. The popular kind of stories of family?
