Anticipation has been mounting for the release of Spy directed by Paul Feig and starring Melissa McCarthy as Susan Cooper, a CIA agent who despite being at the top of her class, chooses to work with surveillance and computer equipment in a dingy basement in order to give advice via an ear piece to her unrequited love, agent Bradley Fine (played by Jude Law).
Any fan of James Bond Films will find this movie funny, as it begins with a music montage and video sequence similar to the genre. Although the movie was quite funny, I was not impressed by the ongoing poor work condition jokes which showed an oblivious Susan, whispering in her agent’s ear in an office infested with bats and mice. Susan happily brings baked goods for her co-workers and flirting with Bradley on the phone until he is suddenly killed in the home of the villain, Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne).
Susan is so upset by the death of the agent she loves that she volunteers to go undercover to stop Rayna from selling nuclear weapons to a terrorist organization. Susan is chosen for this mission and her friend Nancy B. Artingstall (Miranda Hart) shares in her excitement to get her assigned undercover persona and weapons. However, as she is only to track the villains and report, her gadgets are unexciting and disguised as embarrassing, mundane items. Her undercover names and personas are just as dull – the disguises varied from a frumpy housewife to a crazy cat lady.
In the mean time, an ex-agent (Jason Statham) is determined to wipe out the villain, but since he is recognizable the terrorists try to kill him, and Susan is forced to keep saving him while still trying not to be discovered as an agent. As Susan is forced in to more dangerous situations, she becomes more and more confident. She creates a more glamorous agent persona as McCarthy creates a more multifaceted character than she typically portrays.
The plot twists and jokes are definitely surprising and fun, and the movie is enjoyable enough, but I found the plot difficult to follow at times. Melissa McCarthy is wonderful as always, and her performance justifies the excitement for this film.
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