Review of Spy (2015) by Joel M — 14 Aug 2016

*** Average.

Writer-Director Paul Feig's comedy "Spy" is a homage to Secret Agent films starring a bumbling female spy named Susan Cooper played by Melissa McCarthy. I liked this movie better when it was called "Austin Powers I mean Susan Cooper: International Woman of Mystery". OK, I am just kidding. "Spy" did not turn out to be a bad filmmaking mission, but I did not think it had enough creative mojo for top ratings, as it received from many critics. Again, McCarthy stars as Susan Cooper, a desk bound CIA analyst who volunteers to go undercover to prevent global disaster. Yes, we have heard this premise before, but Feig keeps it moderately entertaining. And it does help that McCarthy does a commendable job in her starring performance as Cooper. Rose Byrne brings some fire into the picture also as the fem villain Rayna Boyanov. Byrne and McCarthy again bring some solid chemistry in scenes together. Jason Statham was hilarious as the foul-mouthed Spy Rick Ford; even though Feig criminally underused him. "Spy" was not a master production, but it's worth to go on that possible mission of getting "under your covers" and taking a peek at it.