THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME ■ This movie didn’t bond
I’ll admit it: I’m a sucker for a good (or, hey, even a slightly bad) action comedy film. For me, the magic is unleashed in the chemistry of the stars, their ability to use each other to really squeeze
every drop of funny out of a scene and keep it all just that little bit unexpected at times. Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon are an exceptional comedy duo, and they sell the film’s premise
well: two best friends caught up in the secretive, dangerous world of international spies, thanks to Audrey’s (Kunis) relationship with a seemingly ordinary man. McKinnon is becoming
somewhat typecast as the zany, unpredictable best friend, but she lights up every scene she is in with perfect timing, often the catalyst for the unpredictable outcomes of problems the two
must face.
However, it must be said that they are let down by the package as a whole. This is a film that never truly finds its tone, nor does it fully realise any particular genre: it begins as a straight out
buddy cop-style comedy, before slowing right down into serious spy thriller and finally settling amidst a potluck of action drama with talented comedic actresses trying their best. It is at least
twenty minutes too long to accommodate indulgent, serious dramatic scenes, and it really kills the pace just when you think the ship is righting itself.
Susanna Fogel’s direction is sharp, and the action scenes wouldn’t be out of place in a Bond film. But that’s unlikely to be what the audience expected to see, especially in place of true spy
parody and consistency of humour. Enjoy the effortless comedic genius of Kunis and McKinnon, just don’t expect a particularly fulfilling journey.