SPIES LIKE US (Theatrical Review USA 1985)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.3|5.0 Starsììì

Spies Like Us—typical of the ‘comedy isn’t for everyone anymore’ move—tries for the mature laugh through raunchy scenes and dialogue. As a result, an idea that could have made some real box office dollars and launched a very good, family comedy television series ends boxed for a specific, narrowly defined audience and we all go home feeling bored, jaded, slightly exhausted, world-weary, and cheated. The humor found in F-Troop, the Herbie series, even Don Knotts’ The Shakiest Gun in the West, or Bob Hope’s Paleface and films of like humor would have been more appreciated than the tired humor this film presents.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

The story is about bunglers Emmet Fitz-Hume (Chevy Chase) and Austin Millbarge (Dan Aykroyd) who the United States Defense Intelligence Agency decides to use as expendable decoys for a higher level operation. The two ‘spies’ mismanage affairs to the point of launching a nuclear missile against the United States and somehow manage a happy ending to their story despite everything.

Additional Thanks

Good work for Director John Landis. Thank you to Executive Producer Bernie Brillstein for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: General Sline (Steve Forrest), Karen Boyer (Donna Dixon), Mr. Ruby (Bruce Davison), Colonel Rumbus (Bernie Casey), Mr. Keyes (William Prince), General Miegs (Tom Hatten), and Test Monitor (Frank Oz).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

No. It’s a tired rendition of everything we’ve seen and heard before and really do not want to see again.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers