Review of Spy (2015) by Johnny T — 12 Sep 2015

Spy will have you laughing and cheering. It is smart and funny - a deft combination that will have you anticipating the inevitable sequel. An uproarious blast of globe-trotting action-comedy delirium that doesn't spoof the espionage-thriller genre so much as drop a series of banana peels in its path. Paul Feig, who guided McCarthy to an Oscar nomination for Bridesmaids, does her an even bigger favor here: He's given her the movie and the role for which she'll be remembered. Feig, who wrote the Spy screenplay, encouraging his actors to improvise along the way, has his own stealth mission. For all the over-the-top comedy, zigzagging chases, and choreographed fight scenes, Spy is very much a tale of female empowerment. McCarthy is the star of the film, but her willingness to let her fellow actors shine when an opportunity knocks to give the audience a belly-laugh is clear, and it's the undeniable strength of the supporting cast that makes Spy a strong a film. This isn't one of those run-of-the-mill sitcoms stretched to an unendurable length, but a very sharp and pointed espionage romp that allows its ensemble of actors to deliver the material with a fresh sense of gusto. Simultaneously broad and progressive, Spy offers further proof that Melissa McCarthy and writer-director Paul Feig bring out the best in one another -- and delivers scores of belly laughs along the way.

VERDICT: "High-Quality Stuff" - [Positive Reaction] This is a rating to a movie I view as very entertaining and well made, and definitely worth paying the full price at a theatre to see or own on DVD. It is not perfect, but it is definitely excellent. (Films that are rated 3.5 or 4 stars).