Maybe more than films of any other genre, comedies are prone to subjectivity and don't always age well; tastes and sensibilities change over time, and what was funny in one timeframe won't necessarily hold up in another. It seems sometimes as if this might be especially true of comedies of the 80s, where quips and gags pertaining to marginalized communities, sex, relationships between men and women, and harder, meaner edges to the would-be humor are arguably more present. Above all with two names attached to 'Spies like us' whose reputations aren't what they used to be, and a story trading on government agencies and Cold War fears, how might this look forty years on? Well, very honestly, it's a mixed bag; the movie isn't as sorry as I feared it might be, but also not nearly as worthwhile as I might have hoped. All told this is mildly amusing, but the entertainment value it offers is middling and unremarkable.
If you want a comedy of spy-laden adventure, technically you've got it. There are indeed some facets of tawdry humor that haven't survived the 80s, mostly whenever Chevy Chase's character Emmett interacts with or talks about women, but if nothing else, for the most part the writing is a smidgen better than the sort to broadly rely on such cheapness. That's some good news. The bad news is that the strength here is highly variable, and much more than not the feature doesn't make a major impression. Really, it's the type that one can "watch" without actively engaging. I'm rather reminded of Elaine May's infamous misfire of two years later, 'Ishtar.' There the comedy and the picture at large were strongest at the very beginning and the very end, where the focus was on Clarke and Rogers' songs, and the preponderance of the length was a mess with dubious narrative writing and unfunny jokes. Here, the picture does earn some laughs, but only at the simplest of bits: a proctored exam, greetings between doctors, the announcement of a phone call, a quietly spoken rhetorical thought, a cheeky final scene. I do believe that's an accurate assessment, for the record - a total of five laughs in a tad less than two hours. Such instances are where the cleverness of the writing shines through. Elsewhere, the title plainly struggles.
Dan Aykroyd and Chase's animated performances start to wear thin rather quickly, and in general there isn't enough disparity between the characters to foster dynamics fit for comedy. Not dissimilarly, despite the action sequences and intended frivolity, I don't think John Landis' direction confers enough energy into the proceedings to particularly drive engagement; the viewing experience feels kind of flat, with soft pacing even in some individual scenes. These unfortunate traits of the direction compound the troubles of the plot. It is generic material for a spy flick, but suitable, with some commendable ideas and themes that have been employed to fine results in other kindred fare, and which remain sadly relevant a few decades later. On the other hand, the story is light, is marked with minimal development in the entire first half, and in the second half becomes messy as it's smashed into a smaller length. I also just don't think this one narrative is all that well-written in the first place, and where a film wishes to subvert a genre to comedic ends, the genre roots must first hold firmly; here, they do not. And just as it is the simplest thoughts that work best in evoking the desired reaction, the more grandiose and impressive 'Spies like us' tries to be in its humor, its action, or its storytelling, the less sure-footed and notable it is.
The movie is duly well made, certainly. Landis' direction is technically capable, the stunts and effects look great, Elmer Bernstein's music is just fine, and all those operating behind the scenes turned in excellent work. Strictly speaking the acting is just swell, too; that some actors come off better than others has more to do with the writing and direction than with any failing on the part of the players. When all is said and done I don't think the picture is bad, but overall it's somewhat weak, and fails to excite. The fact that I can count the number of times I laughed is regrettable. In some measure I like 'Spies like us,' yet for as little fun as I had at large, I also wonder if I'm not being too generous. It remains the case that if you want a comedy of spy-laden adventure, technically you've got it. We can get these flavors in other places, however, and there's the rub: for as uninspiring as this is except in select examples, why would we not instead spend time with something else that readily commands more favor? Watch 'Spies like us' if you wish, and may you find it more outright enjoyable than I do. I just quite believe that there are more worthy flicks out there, so I don't anticipate ever revisiting this one.
If you want a comedy of spy-laden adventure, technically you've got it. There are indeed some facets of tawdry humor that haven't survived the 80s, mostly whenever Chevy Chase's character Emmett interacts with or talks about women, but if nothing else, for the most part the writing is a smidgen better than the sort to broadly rely on such cheapness. That's some good news. The bad news is that the strength here is highly variable, and much more than not the feature doesn't make a major impression. Really, it's the type that one can "watch" without actively engaging. I'm rather reminded of Elaine May's infamous misfire of two years later, 'Ishtar.' There the comedy and the picture at large were strongest at the very beginning and the very end, where the focus was on Clarke and Rogers' songs, and the preponderance of the length was a mess with dubious narrative writing and unfunny jokes. Here, the picture does earn some laughs, but only at the simplest of bits: a proctored exam, greetings between doctors, the announcement of a phone call, a quietly spoken rhetorical thought, a cheeky final scene. I do believe that's an accurate assessment, for the record - a total of five laughs in a tad less than two hours. Such instances are where the cleverness of the writing shines through. Elsewhere, the title plainly struggles.
Dan Aykroyd and Chase's animated performances start to wear thin rather quickly, and in general there isn't enough disparity between the characters to foster dynamics fit for comedy. Not dissimilarly, despite the action sequences and intended frivolity, I don't think John Landis' direction confers enough energy into the proceedings to particularly drive engagement; the viewing experience feels kind of flat, with soft pacing even in some individual scenes. These unfortunate traits of the direction compound the troubles of the plot. It is generic material for a spy flick, but suitable, with some commendable ideas and themes that have been employed to fine results in other kindred fare, and which remain sadly relevant a few decades later. On the other hand, the story is light, is marked with minimal development in the entire first half, and in the second half becomes messy as it's smashed into a smaller length. I also just don't think this one narrative is all that well-written in the first place, and where a film wishes to subvert a genre to comedic ends, the genre roots must first hold firmly; here, they do not. And just as it is the simplest thoughts that work best in evoking the desired reaction, the more grandiose and impressive 'Spies like us' tries to be in its humor, its action, or its storytelling, the less sure-footed and notable it is.
The movie is duly well made, certainly. Landis' direction is technically capable, the stunts and effects look great, Elmer Bernstein's music is just fine, and all those operating behind the scenes turned in excellent work. Strictly speaking the acting is just swell, too; that some actors come off better than others has more to do with the writing and direction than with any failing on the part of the players. When all is said and done I don't think the picture is bad, but overall it's somewhat weak, and fails to excite. The fact that I can count the number of times I laughed is regrettable. In some measure I like 'Spies like us,' yet for as little fun as I had at large, I also wonder if I'm not being too generous. It remains the case that if you want a comedy of spy-laden adventure, technically you've got it. We can get these flavors in other places, however, and there's the rub: for as uninspiring as this is except in select examples, why would we not instead spend time with something else that readily commands more favor? Watch 'Spies like us' if you wish, and may you find it more outright enjoyable than I do. I just quite believe that there are more worthy flicks out there, so I don't anticipate ever revisiting this one.