GET SMART is in many ways your average, typical summer comedy action buddy flick. Story-wise it’s complete fluff, with a paper-thin story featuring loads of underdevelopment and gaping plot holes. That means if you want to emerge from the theatre having been fully entertained, the comedy will have to be good enough to help gloss over those shortcomings, the cast will have to be on-the-ball, and the concept (if not its narrative expansion) has to be involving enough. For the most part it succeeds in that.
In terms of comedy, we’ve got Steve Carell here and that’s more than enough for me. It’s incredibly hard for me to not laugh at anything he does, especially in a film like this where the humor is perfectly tailored to his comedic stylings. Carell is undoubtedly the star of this film and it’s the better for it. In fact, it’s a big reason why it still succeeds to entertain.
He’s not alone though. Though I wasn’t sure she could do it, Anne Hathaway completely blossoms her as a serious, sexy in-charge super agent. It’s nice to see she can expand outside of her pigeonhole, and she contributes a lot here, most notably great comedic and romantic chemistry with Carell. Their characters’ relationships is one of the most underdeveloped parts of the film, but in the moment of their interactions you’d be hard pressed to realize it because the actors’ shorthand makes up for a lot.
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GET SMART
I loved GET SMART as a kid, so when I heard that particular television show was yet the latest to receive a feature film treatment, I was wary. Then I heard Steve Carell was cast in the role of bumbling, inept spy, Maxwell Smart, and small hopes were kindled, because if anyone was perfect for the role it was him. Now that the trailer has come out, I can even say I’m a little excited, because it looks like those involved totally nailed the silly spirit of the original show. It’s also the ideal vehicle for someone with Carell’s comedic talents, if the “I’m so happy” scene doesn’t prove it. Also I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard anyone in a film ever say “We’re not people who jam staples into other people’s heads,” let alone see someone actually do that. On a totally unrelated note, when did Anne Hathaway turn into such a hottie?
Watch the trailer here.
THE LOVE GURU
It’s been five years since Mike Myers last live-action performance (I don’t really count 2003’s THE CAT IN THE HAT, because he basically was an animated character in it), so you would think the guy would make a bit of an effort to bring something new to the table in his new film THE LOVE GURU. Instead, based on this trailer, we just get the same old Mike Myer jokes recycled. Again, there’s dance numbers, the border-line embarrassing comedic use of a little person, there’s a spin on the “Mole” spiel he did in AUSTIN POWERS: GOLDMEMBER, and your run of the mill penis jokes. Sure, there are some gems here (The “Then my Mom got a job” bit, for example), but it’s all just jokes we’ve seen him do too many times before. Actually, the funniest thing going in this trailer is – of all things – Justin Timberlake’s humorous Québécois impression.
As a Canadian though, I do have to chuckle at the fact that long-time Toronto Maple Leafs fan Mike Myers found a way for his team to actually be Stanley Cup contenders, even if it’s in a fictional world. Sure, a bit hard to believe, given the current state of the team, but no more unbelievable then Jessica Alba playing their general manager or Romany Malco playing their star player (seriously, he looks ridiculous in the Leafs uniform).
Watch the trailer here.
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