Get Smart

By Adam Frazier

Based off the ‘60s television show by the same name, “Get Smart” stars Steve Carell (“The Office”) as Maxwell Smart, an analyst for a secret spy agency known as CONTROL.

Max longs to become a superstar field operative like Agent 23 (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) but is stuck translating intelligence chatter at his desk, despite scoring high on his field operative test. It seems that Max is, in fact, so good at his job his boss refuses to promote him.

CONTROL’s nemesis, the spy organization KAOS, has been killing off agents left and right. As a result the Chief (Alan Arkin) finally promotes Maxwell Smart to Field Operative and partners him with the stunningly beautiful Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), one of the agency’s most decorated spies.

Someone has been supplying nuclear weapons to KAOS, and its up to Smart (now Agent 86) and 99 to find out who it is before KAOS achieves its goal of world domination. The only problem is, Maxwell Smart is a ham-fisted, often oblivious, incompetent, klutz. He does, however, display considerable prowess in hand-to-hand combat and is a pretty good shot with his weapon.

Much like his ‘60s counterpart, played by Don Adams, this Maxwell Smart is still oblivious to social cues and follows through dimwitted observations with deadpan deliveries. Carell’s performance, however, of Agent 86 feels conflicted, as if he can’t make up his mind whether to mimic Adams’ performance or make it his own.

There are moments when Carell’s Smart is ingenious, typing up 400+ page reports on intelligence chatter that the rest of his inept spy agency can’t be bored with reading. There are other moments, say when he accidentally shoots himself 12 times in the face with a miniature crossbow, where his character is pushed to the point of no return.

Carell’s performance owes something to his character of Michael Scott in the television series “The Office,” whose pure awkwardness and lack of tact is somehow charming. Mel Brooks had a philosophy about Get Smart, and that was to take what made “James Bond” so successful and stretch it just an inch.

In this film adaptation of “Get Smart,” that inch quickly became a mile. Everything is so over-the-top goofy that the subtle charms of the original are quickly lost. Carell flips back and forth between a Don Adams impersonation and his own muddled attempt. Don’t get me wrong, Steve Carell is never less than likable, and of anyone to play Maxwell Smart in this day and age, it would be him – but just because you have a convincing actor doesn’t mean you should write a script around him.

Simply put, this movie isn’t remotely smart, or funny for that matter. We are treated to gags we’ve seen numerous times in other spy spoofs such as “Austin Powers.” The reason the jokes worked in the old television show is because they were nuanced and sly – but here, everything is so exaggerated (include the old Cone of Silence gag) that it loses its humor, and is instead completely obnoxious.

There’s also the issue of using computer-generated effects for things that are extremely practical. During the introduction sequence, which mimics the ‘60s show, we see Smart go through numerous doors to a telephone booth, which will take him to his office. The thing is, you can instantly tell nothing is real. Shiny fake bolts loosen and tighten, big pixilated steel doors slam shut, and immediately you’re taken out of reality. Maybe that’s what they wanted, being as this movie goes so far beyond outlandish it makes something like “Live Free or Die Hard” seem plausible.

So who’s to blame? Certainly fine performances from Carell, Hathaway and Arkin can’t be at fault. Dwayne Johnson, while completely underused, still manages to give a convincing role as hunky Agent 23. Ultimately the blame must be given to director Peter Segal (“50 First Dates”) and writers Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember (“Failure to Launch”). The script is a mess, and it just feels like they completely missed the mark for what a “Get Smart” movie should really be.

“Get Smart” isn’t a completely failure – there are few moments in the film that warrant abundant laughter, though I could only bring myself to snicker at the craziness unfolding on screen. The movie is just as incompetent and goofy as Maxwell Smart, but buried deep beneath the obnoxious exaggerated action, you may find a few good laughs.

If anything, see “Get Smart” for the exquisiteness that is Anne Hathaway. She’s gorgeous, and even with all the big-budget popcorn action and special effects, she’s still the most spectacular eye candy in the movie.

Think of it this way, the original “Get Smart” series was a satisfying three-course meal, and this new film adaptation is more like an all-you-can-eat buffet of greasy fast food. You may think the buffet sounds good, but after gorging yourself on cheap gags and sour jokes– you realize that it wasn’t nearly as pleasing as the three-course meal.