Review of Spy (2015) by Foxgrove — 16 Jun 2015

After a promising and funny opening with Jude Law doing his 007 bit, this Bond parody degenerates into a witless farrago. The movie aims for the lowest common denominator and hits the bulls eye as it does have obvious commercial appeal. However, it is more offensive for that very fact than for the propensity of four letter words that are tiresomely uttered in almost every line of dialogue. This excuse for a screenplay seems as if it has been written by a ten year old who has just learnt how to swear. It is disgracefully unfunny and this constant use of expletives is a sign of desperation which only succeeds in insulting an ‘Intelligent’ audience. It’s sad to find actors like Jude Law and Rose Byrne complicit in this junk. On the other hand Melissa McCarthy is in her element. She is actually a good enough comedienne but this material is, as Miranda Hart rather aptly puts it ‘extraordinarily out of her league’. Miranda Hart, herself, is just embarrassing. Hopefully, this will abort any further chances she may have had of a Hollywood career. Ditto Jason Statham who should recognise his limitations and stick to his unambitious, and usually not very good, action movies. He is way out of his depth here attempting comedy.

The movie also feels very disjointed with scenes created just to hang the limp and unfunny jokes on. If it wasn’t for the opening couple of sequences involving Law this would have warranted a zero from me. The only other praise I will offer is to the music score which deserves to be appreciated lacing a more accomplished film.