Feig keeps his Spy machinery cranking so smoothly that nothing said or done feels as outrageous as, in fact, it is. The truth serum Spy drops into our fizzy drinks makes us feel so good that we don't even realize we've been schooled.
The point of the film is to ask: what would happen if Miss Moneypenny were plump and 40, and suddenly assigned to her boss's missions...? No, I've never wondered either. But this is a valiant attempt to persuade us we ought to have done.
Melissa McCarthy keeping pace in foot chases with actors who spend the better portion of their lives in a gym is about as funny as it gets, unless you count the antonymous editing of the action sequences.
McCarthy has much more to discover about herself as an actor and an avatar and a cultural signifier, and I hope she doesn't get trapped by one role, one genre or one franchise. But her campaign of conquest is going well.
Spy is many things: A clever spoof. A chance for Melissa McCarthy and her co-stars to strut their comedic chops. An international romp. It's also a pretty darn engaging spy film. It's about a woman leaning in and finding her inner Bond.
Melissa McCarthy shines in this clever action-comedy showcase provided by the writer and director Paul Feig, but the movie's tightly contrived plot and uniformly positive emotions constrain her comic genius.
The film's quantity-over-quality approach affords star Melissa McCarthy the luxury of both owning the film and sharing the glory with a wonderful supporting cast.
Much has been said about McCarthy, an amiable plus-size lady, as a viable movie star but there is no longer any question. Brash, bold and believable at every turn, Spy is a showcase and a celebration of her as a performer.
She's no Mata Hari, and she may not get the guy (though she does get some) - but that doesn't mean she can't be a different sort of badass, the kind that's a reminder of McCarthy's range beyond just physical comedy.
