Funny and Getting Smart

Bringing a classic TV show to the cinema is no easy feat. Translating a show with the stature of Get Smart is an even more daunting task. This new remake approaches the problem by trying to hit audiences with a big, blockbuster feel. While not really capturing the spirit of the source material,Get Smart offers large explosions, good performances and big, easy laughs.

Maxwell Smart is an analyst who works for CONTROL, a secret spy organization devoted to protecting the world from terrorist threats. Max dreams of becoming a field agent, but he never gets the chance, despite being qualified. But when CONTROL is viciously attacked by a rival organization, they have no choice but to send their only qualified agent out into the field. Teamed up with the deadly and beautiful Agent 99, Max must use his unorthodox skills to thwart a deadly nuclear plot that could put the entire world in jeopardy.

There isn’t much to say about the plot. The script doesn’t really give us all that much to consider as it mostly speeds from one joke to the next. There is enough of a narrative to keep the film together, but it’s obvious from the get-go that the filmmakers wanted to focus on big joke pieces. And there are a lot of laughs in this film. However, it’s worth noting that the film takes a much simpler route to laughs than the show ever did. While the show worked by using wit and generally satirizing the entire spy business, this film goes much broader with slapstick and some toilet humor. It probably won’t concern most people, but it does feel a little easy.

The biggest problem with the film is that it veers a little too close to 2003’s Johnny English, which is strange considering the great well of ideas they already had access to with the original show. The film does try to give nods to its source material, and these little moments are often in a class of their own. To its credit, the film goes much, much bigger. Blending action and comedy is Peter Segal’s forte, and a couple of sequences in this film truly shine. There are a couple of odd flashbacks in the film that don’t really fit stylistically, but otherwise, the entire film moves quickly enough.

There is nothing to complain about in the acting department. Steve Carrell is the perfect choice to fill the shoe phone. It’s obvious how much he admires Don Adams, and his performance certainly reflects that. He does employ a lot of his own old tricks, and that can divide people. Anne Hathaway is a good choice for agent 99, with bright eyes filled with easy competence. Alan Arkin plays the Chief much tougher, but it’s hard to argue against such an immense talent. The supporting cast is filled with great comedic talents, and they all do their best to have you rolling in the aisles.

Get Smart is a terribly difficult movie to judge. It is certainly funny enough for people looking for an easy, breezy comedy, but fans of the show might be a tad disappointed. While the great talent involved will probably keep you entertained, it just doesn’t capture the magic that the old show brought. The TV show was a show with a distinctive sort of humor and style, and this film settles for the broad humor of modern comedies. Still, it’s hard to deny just how truly the film and its cast can really be. It at least deserves a mild recommendation.