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Get Smart

Buzz says:   MPAA Rating: PG-13
Current Showtimes: No showtimes available

The spy spoof is a genre of film that has existed since the popularity of James Bond, and there is a certain staleness that arrives with a type of film in which the audience merely sits back and thinks, “Been there, done that.” There is only so much that can be done to spoof such films, and Get Smart provides nothing new or groundbreaking, yet it still succeeds because of the caliber of the production and because of the film’s charming cast.

The plot of Get Smart is as routine as possible, with two mismatched agents, Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) and Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway) traveling across the globe to stop an organization known as KAOS (run by a villainous Terrence Stamp) from setting off a series of nuclear bombs. Smart is brilliant, yet also a bumbling fool, causing trouble wherever he goes. Agent 99 is sexy and acts without error, and thus initially cannot stand Smart. Soon enough the two begin to get along, and their partnership proves to be a very strong one.

The look of the film is first-rate. Typically in a spy spoof the comedy would take the foreground over the action, and Get Smart features plenty of laughs, yet the action is breathtaking at the same time. A scene in which Smart falls out of a plane only to be rescued by Agent 99 while a hulking bad guy follows suit had me on the edge of my seat, only to be brought back to reality when I was laughing at the clever jokes inserted throughout. Director Peter Segal (Tommy Boy) knows how to craft a scene filled with suspense and hilarity.

Now for the cast. Although Carell essentially plays the same role that he has played in numerous films, he still brings a likability and charm to Maxwell Smart that has the audience rooting for the underdog to save the day. Smart is overshadowed by the bigger, brassier men at work, and Carell does a great job at evoking sympathy for his character even though Smart seems to be a magnet for disaster. Hathaway lights up the screen, and I could not take my eyes off of her as she kicked butt and took names. Yeah, she is the hot sidekick, but she is also a character filled with depth and emotion, showcased by Hathaway’s strong performance. She also has her fair share of one-liners, and is not overshadowed by Carell in the slightest.

The supporting cast is also pitch perfect. Quite possibly the funniest performance in the film comes from Alan Arkin as high-ranking boss The Chief. As the man who has to control Smart, Agent 99, and all the other agents, Arkin is a comedic master. His reactions to everyone and everything around him are side-splitting. He has to endure a blow to the head with a fire extinguisher, the inability to say complicated Russian names, and a smackdown with the Vice President. Arkin has the genuine comedic talent to deliver his lines with perfect flair, and he alone is reason enough to go to the movie. Dwayne Johnson (no “The Rock” this time) plays the super suave Agent 23 with a sense of panache that signals his successful switch from wrestler to genuine movie star. He is a force to be reckoned with on screen, as evidenced by his pearly white smile and complete ease at knowing he is a crowd-pleaser.

Get Smart doesn’t strive to be anything new or groundbreaking, but because of the splendid look of the film and the profoundly talented cast the film sticks out in a summer that has seriously been lacking in the comedy department.