Clever, creative but somewhat repetitive action-comedy from some of the team that brought us "Bridesmaids," including stars Melissa McCarthy and Rose Byrne and director/writer Paul Feig. This is mostly a James Bond spoof, which I guess partly explains why so many Brits seem to work for the CIA in the film's universe, with homages to Peter Sellars' Inspector Clouseau tossed in for good measure. (I think, technically, Jude Law's suave Bond-ish character is supposed to be American, but he exudes British manners.)
The script and direction require McCarthy and Byrne to carry this and they do great jobs, McCarthy as the seemingly bumbling but really quite capable CIA agent in the field for the first time, and Byrne as the seemingly capable but really quite inept international arms dealer who's just taken over the family business from her deceased father. They play off each other beautifully, which is nice to see because they didn't have nearly as much interaction in "Bridesmaids." To the extent that the film drags, it mostly results from excessive time spent on McCarthy's increasingly well-worn shtick. She is enormously talented but not subtle. Feig indulges her too often and for too long, but they always have Byrne in their back pocket to help ground the action and comedy when it threatens to spin wildly off course. They are ably assisted by Miranda Hart and Peter Serafinowicz, both of whom manage to charm their way through very broadly conceived roles, and Morena Baccarin, who doesn't get much to do but does it perfectly. The film's secret weapon and only real surprise is Jason Statham, who is revealed to be a top-notch comedic sensation. His hilarious take-down of his own action-stud persona is pitch perfect. He is easily the best thing about the movie and makes it worth watching even for people who aren't necessarily McCarthy fans.
The first time I watched this I was underwhelmed, but on a second viewing I found that it works much better with a self-imposed intermission of a few hours roughly half way through. That helped me get less fatigued by the sameness of the action and comedy as the film progresses and makes it a fresher, more engaging experience.
The script and direction require McCarthy and Byrne to carry this and they do great jobs, McCarthy as the seemingly bumbling but really quite capable CIA agent in the field for the first time, and Byrne as the seemingly capable but really quite inept international arms dealer who's just taken over the family business from her deceased father. They play off each other beautifully, which is nice to see because they didn't have nearly as much interaction in "Bridesmaids." To the extent that the film drags, it mostly results from excessive time spent on McCarthy's increasingly well-worn shtick. She is enormously talented but not subtle. Feig indulges her too often and for too long, but they always have Byrne in their back pocket to help ground the action and comedy when it threatens to spin wildly off course. They are ably assisted by Miranda Hart and Peter Serafinowicz, both of whom manage to charm their way through very broadly conceived roles, and Morena Baccarin, who doesn't get much to do but does it perfectly. The film's secret weapon and only real surprise is Jason Statham, who is revealed to be a top-notch comedic sensation. His hilarious take-down of his own action-stud persona is pitch perfect. He is easily the best thing about the movie and makes it worth watching even for people who aren't necessarily McCarthy fans.
The first time I watched this I was underwhelmed, but on a second viewing I found that it works much better with a self-imposed intermission of a few hours roughly half way through. That helped me get less fatigued by the sameness of the action and comedy as the film progresses and makes it a fresher, more engaging experience.