Spoiler-Free Advance Movie Review: My Spy — Familiar Story Only Better

Streaming: Friday, June 26, 2020 on Amazon

“Under the rough exterior, you’re a nice guy.” – Sophie

Rating: ★★★★★

Spoiler-Free Advance Movie Review: <i>My Spy</i> — Familiar Story Only Better 1

CIA agent J.J (Dave Bautista) is great at kicking ass but not very good at being a spy. When his latest mission in Ukraine goes horribly wrong, his boss David Kim (Ken Jeong) gives the gruff agent one last chance. Accustomed to exotic locales, a disappointed J.J suddenly finds himself in Chicago partnered with Bobbi (Kristen Schaal), an overly eager analyst on her first mission. Their assignment consists of running surveillance on Kate (Parisa Fitz Henley), the wife of a deceased arms dealer and her nine-year-old daughter Sophie (Chloe Coleman). In other words, “Babysitting civilians.”

J.J and Bobbi quickly learn there’s more to Sophie than meets the eye. It isn’t long before the intrepid child discovers what they’re up to. Desperate not to blow another mission or their cover, for that matter, J.J does whatever it takes to keep Sophie happy, including teaching her to be a spy in exchange for keeping their secret from her mom. What’s the worst that can happen?

Coleman is an absolute delight to watch. I’ve been impressed by her recent work in Amazon’s series Upload and the Disney+’s film Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made. While the casting of Coleman and Bautista is designed to create an unusual pairing, the small Coleman holds her own against her giant costar. Wise beyond her years, at times you forget how young Coleman actually is. The two have great chemistry and play off each other quite well. This has carried over onto social media as @ChloeColemanAct and @DaveBautista have released several entertaining videos together while the film’s release sat for months in limbo due to the Covid-19 virus.

As adorable as Coleman is, it’s Bautista who makes the absurd premise work. On paper, it’s easy to see how a film about a burly male befriending a nine-year-old child could appear creepy. This is addressed hilariously early on in My Spy and becomes a running joke. What really sells the story is the sincerity and heart in Bautista’s portrayal of J.J.

I interviewed Bautista at the SXSW premiere of the 2019 action-comedy Stuber. Bautista remained outside making sure smaller outlets got their questions in after others in the cast went inside. I have great admiration for someone like that because he treated everyone equally and with respect. There’s a genuineness to the way he spoke and that same humbleness is readily apparent in his portrayal of J.J.

One of the things that makes My Spy special is the underlying sense of right and wrong conveyed throughout the film. J.J’s quick to jump in anytime he sees a wrong and makes things right with his own brand of justice, even to his own detriment. This reactionary morality creates some of my favorite scenes, including when J.J visits Sophie’s school. As much as the film is billed as an action-comedy, it’s really a story of friendship.

Some might bemoan the final act of My Spy is so predictable, you can make a checklist of five things you predict will happen and you’ll be five for five. This might have bothered me with a lesser film; yet, I was invested enough in the characters that I focused more on the story than nitpicking its predictability.

Written by Jon and Erich Hoeber and directed by Peter Segal, My Spy is an enjoyable film that has a healthy mix of action, comedy, and heart. While it won’t have the box office draw of one of Bautista’s Marvel films, I found the movie enjoyable to watch. Rated PG-13 for some language and a couple of intense moments, the film walks a fine line of being a kid-friendly movie while still being able to draw in adult viewers. Coleman and Bautista make an entertaining pair and Schaal brings her own brand of humor. The ending sets up opportunities for a sequel but not in the way you might expect. Given how many of us are still stuck at home, My Spy is worth checking out.

Tweet me @Staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about My Spy.

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Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.