Review of The Spy Who Dumped Me

A couple of best friends are drawn into the midst of an international spy plot and soon find themselves in the cross-hairs of covert agencies, terrorist organizations, and assassins. "The Spy Who Dumped Me" retreads the familiar concepts that the Melissa McCarthy starring vehicle "SPY" took on not three years previous. However, it manages to differentiate itself by focusing on the chemistry of it's two leads and making the film more about their character's friendship than a subversive take on the spy genre.

This production, unlike its predecessor "SPY", opted to make the surrounding plot and action less inane providing us with a amalgamate product that somehow comes off without a hitch. The action is tight and effective even when mixed with the humor. The setup comes off as a dead serious Eastern-European spy thriller only serving to starkly highlight the hi-jinks of our protagonists even more by contrast. Shoot outs and convoluted spy intrigue typical of the genre abound and prove exciting and effective as a means to move the characters from one comic set piece to another.

As aforementioned, the film wisely chooses to focus on their chemistry as friends which comes off palpably onscreen. In-jokes, familiarity, and undeniable comfort between the two characters truly makes them feel like the closest of compatriots. Mila Kunis plays the likable "straight man" (Audrey) to Kate McKinnon's free-spirited and exuberant foil (Morgan) which, for the most part, gives McKinnon free rein to be as charmingly left-field as possible with maximum effect. That is not to say that Kunis doesn't incite a good number of chuckles on her own with reactions alone. Kudos for making one of Morgan's character quirks a humorously subtle way to impart a feeling of pro-femininity without ever having it become cloying.

The cast plays exceptionally well off of each other too, duplicating the dynamic of the leads on a mass scale by playing straight to their frazzled and comic descent into the world of the clandestine. Even the now mandatory cameos in comedy movies are pulled off with nary an eye-rolling moment. On the contrary, Paul Reiser and Jane Curtin as Morgan's parents actually leave you wanting more of them in all the best ways.

As much praise as can be heaped on the cast, it really comes down to McKinnon's role carrying the bulk of the comedic weight. Everyone around her works because they are playing off of her prodigious comic talent. She's effortlessly funny without ever resorting to the crass or overtly physical brands of humor. In short, she's the star of the show.

Ultimately, "The Spy Who Dumped Me" proved to be much more enjoyable than I expected it to be. While it breaks no new ground it certainly knows how to entertain. I don't suspect there will be any moments that many would brand "knee-slappers" but sometimes comedies don't need them to be effectively fun. You could do much worse, for sure. 7/10