SNL’s Kate McKinnon stands out in this messy mashup of a movie. She grabs the laughs in this unorganized, violent, spy-spoof, action-comedy, buddy film.
McKinnon plays Morgan, best friend of Audrey (Mila Kunis – Black Swan, TV’s Family Guy, Jupiter Ascending). They suddenly find themselves in a shoot-out when Audrey’s ex, who dumped her, via text, appears in their LA apartment. Drew (Justin Theroux – HBO’s The Leftovers) turns out to be the spy referred to in the movie’s title. Under attack, Drew presses Audrey into delivering an important package to Vienna or thousands will die.
It’s Game-On. McKinnon and Kunis traipse across a wide swath of Europe cracking crude jokes, getting into frantic car chases and killing anyone who pursues them. Writer/Director Susanna Fogel was intent on having women totally carry this film. McKinnon and Kunis have to be so smart, funny, and canny that we lose their emotional connection. Even in a comedy, we need to care at least a little bit about their close friendship. Except for one scene where they blurt out all the intimate details about each other’s life, we never get much reason to care about them. The chemistry just doesn’t come through.
This film presents a challenge. In terms of all the genres Fogel is incorporating in this film, this piece of work is both good and bad. As an action movie in the Mission Impossible, vein this falls way far short. The action sequences are choreographed and performed well by the stunt doubles thanks to the direction of stunt coordinator Gary Powell. (Bourne movies) But they’re not entirely convincing.
The spy movie spoof also comes up lacking. It’s a confusing mess as the double and triple crosses get convoluted and indistinguishable. You’re not always supposed to know the bad guys from the good guys, as they keep switching and there’s no clue how to tell who’s with who. Fogel also tries, with a bit more success, to weave some surprising political humor and bring in a player from the news who can provide a timely hack to save Morgan and Audrey.
It seems to work better when the women just play situation just for laughs. Kate McKinnon is emerging as one of the best comedic actresses of her generation. She is magnetic on screen even though this will not be regarded as one of her best performances. She is so random, coming up with zingers that are so far out there, you can’t help but laugh. Her focus is amazing.
Mila Kunis is arguably the main character since it was she who was dumped by the supposedly sexy spy. But as cute and appealing as she is on screen with those big brown eyes, almost all of the heavy lifting of the physical comedy and the one-liners come from McKinnon. Paul Reiser and Jane Curtin play her parents and are wasted in the film getting just a couple of laughs.
The ultimate bad-ass assassin is even female. Nadedja (played by Ivanna Sakhno, Pacific Rim:Uprising) is the cold, deadly one-time Olympic gymnast who battles Morgan on a trapeze a la Cirque du Soleil. This is a great example of a scene that should have played for bigger laughs, but devolved into a gore-fest instead. It had great potential but ends as an epic fail.
We should say something about the men in this film. For the most part, they are canon fodder; bad guys who get killed. As for the few who get some lines, Justin Theroux looks mildly confused like he’s trying to figure out why he took this job. He’s supposed to be a sexy heartthrob but it looks as if flashbacks stuck here and there are supposed to cement the romantic relationship with Kunis. They distract more than explain and you never believe they have any kind of a relationship.
Comedian Hasan Minhaj, as the somewhat dim bulb agent ,gets a few laughs, but Sam Heughan (Outlander), as Sebastian is the most fully crafted male in the script. He’s more attractive and kind of a young James Bond type, infinitely more appealing than Theroux’s character. In this film, dominated by females, is there only room for one good guy?
Fogelman sets such a frantic pace, that she never leaves time for McKinnon’s comedy chops to get into high gear. Speaking of gear, there is one scene where McKinnon and Kunis DO get time to let the comedy play. On the run, they steal a car by pushing aside an elderly couple. They jump into a sports car only to discover it has a stick shift which neither can drive. Too bad there weren’t more moments like this to see their facial reactions play off each other like they did in this scene as the car slowly rolled down the street. Then they get into a cab and have to improvise when they get chased and their driver becomes incapacitated. It’s a little gory but funny when she has to use his dead body as a seat cushion to take the wheel.
This is a movie of excess, especially regarding the high and bloody body count also played for laughs. But like many aspects of this film, it doesn’t work. Kate McKinnon and Mila Kunis are good performers who deserve better than this. They will make better movies in the future, butThe Spy Who Dumped Me won’t be on that list.
Lionsgate 116Minutes R Graphic nudity Reviewed August 2, 2018
