SPY

US, 2015, 120 minutes, Colour.
Melissa Mc Carthy, Jude Law, Rose Byrne, Jason Statham, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, Peter Serafinowicz, Morena Baccarin, Alison Janney, 50 Cent Jackson.
Directed by Paul Feig.

Definitely for those who enjoy Melissa Mc Carthy comedies. Perhaps not for those who do not enjoy raucous comedies with more than a touch of the silly!

Over the last few years, a new genre of films has emerged from Hollywood, the Melissa Mc Carthy comedy. While she had been appearing on television and in films are many years, it was her supporting role in Bridesmaids that brought her to wide attention. Since then she has appeared in a number of comedies including Identity Thief, The Heat with Sandra Bullock, Tammy (and an effective serious role in St Vincent).

So, what are the conventions of the genre? First of all there is the presence of the Melissa Mc Carthy herself, a physically large and extroverted self, getting tangled in all kinds of situations, her being generally in control; she has a way with words, is not embarrassed by crassness, can argue her way out of most situations, a mixture of clown and comedienne. This served her well in her scenes in Bridesmaids and her policewoman in The Heat, both directed by Paul Feig.

Perhaps it is every stars dream to be in a James Bond film. And this is what Spy is, some serious espionage sequences as well as a sendup. Jude Law gets his opportunity early in the film to do the James Bond thing – and resume it later in the film. However, unlike Bond, he is able to have an earpiece which connects him directly to his CIA monitor, Susan Cooper (Mc Carthy in her more demure moments) who also has on screen, images of his presence (this time in Bulgaria) and she is able to guide him, warn him about attackers. And, in her heart of hearts, she is in love with him, helped at first by his taking her to dinner on return, then, despite his saying she is the best, his presenting her with a comedy necklace.

The comedy starts when Law, confronting a villain, sneezes and shoots him unintentionally. When the continued case goes awry, Susan, who is acknowledged as very knowledgeable with background information, offers to go into the field as an agent, at first reluctantly considered by her supervisor, Alison Janney yet again giving one of her sardonic performances, who then decides to let her go because she is not known to the target. The target is the daughter of the dead criminal, played with haughty pretensions to being an aristocrat by Rose Byrne.

Into the mix comes Jason Statham, right out of his many, many action shows, but this time being spoofed himself by himself, an extreme chauvinist who thinks of Susan as a tea lady, boastful about his own progress but proving himself as the film goes on to be a bit dumb and dumber.

Also into the mix comes British television comedian, Miranda Hart, very tall to Susan’s lack of height, which means they are a bit of an enjoyable Laurel and Hardy act in their various exploits, which also includes the surprising presence of wrapper 50 Cents Jackson..

With different disguises and with different identities, Susan shows herself to be adept as an agent, yet giving herself away at times so that a bomb can be diffused, but then ingratiating herself into Rose Byrne’s attention, even claiming to be a bodyguard appointed secretly by her father. The thing is that Rose Byrne knows the location of a nuclear bomb and is ready to sell it to the highest bidder, through the agency of a high-flying gambler, played by Bobby Cannavale.

All the major players get into the final mix on the estate of a luxurious Hungarian mansion – after a lot of mixups, double agents, serious situations, especially Susan being able to land an out-of-control plane, and some farcical tangles. Some very funny moments and characterisations but, as might be expected from past Melissa Mc Carthy comedies, it is both raucous and raunchy.


1. A spoof of espionage films? Spy heroes? James Bond?

2. Melissa Mc Carthy comedy? Her presence, style, jokes, repartee, her physical size? Raucous and raunchy?

3. An international story, the CIA, Bulgaria, Hungary? The locations? The cast? The musical score?

4. The initial situation, Jude Law as a spy, suave, at the party, going to the basement, the confrontation with the villain, action, his sneeze, Susan listening, her equipment, her GPS, the death of the villain? The situation that only he knew this location of the bomb?

5. Susan in herself, top of her class, her friendship with Nancy, years of work, the skills, sitting in the office, offering information, her superior and reliance on her? Cutting remarks? With Fine, in love, the meal, flirting, the comic necklace? Her reaction? His praise of her?

6. Fine, the new mission, the confrontation, the camera view, his being shot, Susan upset? Appearing with Rayna, the sexual relationship, the betrayal, the poison? In prison, his help, the confrontation?

7. Rick Ford, at the meeting, British, tough, being rude to Susan, stupid in himself? His turning up in various situations? Interventions? Mistakes, confronting Susan? On the international scene?

8. Susan, going on the mission, not being known? The comic identities? The background? Finding Rayna, reporting? Nancy listening? Undercover, seeing Rick Ford and the bag change with the bomb, chasing him, being identified, yelling, the explosion? Her being noted?

9. New identity, tracking Rose, address, the poison on the drink, saving Rose, rose and her snobbery? Her guards? The friendship with Susan?

10. The plane, the betrayal, the shootings, Susan flying the plane, landing?

11. The boss, present, new identities? Susan pretending to be the bodyguard, going into action, confronting the other bodyguards? The spinning the story?

12. Karen, glamour, at the CIA office, going on holiday, with Susan and Nancy, their envy? Seeing her in Budapest? The betrayal, her being shot?

13. Rayna, her associates, selling the bomb? De Luca, his role, selling, gambling, Susan intruding into the gambling?

14. Nancy, appearing in Budapest, the dangers, her awkwardness, 50 Cents and going on stage, the kiss? The joke about 50 Cents?


15. Going to the mansion, De Luca, Susan the cell, Fine coming to free her? The woman to buy the bomb? Her being killed? The thwarting of the sale? The shootout, Fine appearing, Rick Ford and his turning up, getting the boat – and not knowing they were on a lake?

16. Aldo and his flirtatious behaviour, turning up, in prison, his accent and being British?

17. The happy ending, Rayna and her disdain? Susan and Nancy, the further work?

17. A tongue-in-cheek spoof with the touch of the raucous and the raunchy?