Ash
I love Melisa McCarthy and “Spy” has reminded me why. She is the star of the show in a film which reunites the blistering “Bridesmaids” duo of writer/director Paul Feig and star McCarthy, who together deliver the goods once again.
McCarthy plays Susan Cooper, a CIA ‘agent’ who is stuck behind her desk while Jude Law’s Bradley Fine and Jason Statham’s Richard Ford are out in the field. But when Fine is killed on mission and his target, Raina Boyanov (Rose Byrne), declares she knows the identities of all the CIA’s top agents, it’s time for Susan to don the disguise and go undercover out in the field.
But the laughs ensue long before Susan gets her shot in the limelight. From the amusing opening credits to the final ridiculous helicopter fight scene, this film spoofs the spy/thriller/action genre brilliantly. The movie strikes the perfect balance between action and comedy, merging the two genres effortlessly.
A lot of this success must be attributed to McCarthy, who proves that she can deliver physical comedy as aptly as she can nail the verbal stuff. She also holds her own as a respected plus-sized female comedian in a role which would see most male comedians lose that sense of self-respect.
In fact, the entire film subtly has a go at typical Hollywood gender politics. McCarthy’s daggy, inept Cooper ends up showing the archetypal suave, male agents (Law and Statham) how it’s done, while Feig pokes fun at Hollywood’s typical view of women over 30 (you’ll know what I mean when you see Cooper’s cat-lady disguises). For once, the female characters have more depth and substance than the male characters, with McCarthy and Byrne’s characters and plot lines carrying the story.
A mention too should go to Miranda Hart, who plays Susan’s best friend and sidekick Nancy. Though only a supporting character, Hart is hilarious and extremely enjoyable in this movie.
All in all, “Spy” stars a superb Melissa McCarthy bolstered by an equally outstanding supporting cast. The movie is witty and entertaining, and it’s refreshing to see an action/comedy film that gives so much agency to its female characters – thanks Feig.
