Chevy Chase and Dan Akroyd team up as possibly the worst spies in all history (even worse than those in “Carry On Spying”!) in this lightweight but likeable comedy. Spies Like Us has the comedy duo come together for a CIA training programme to find suitable candidates for a top secret mission. They come from their respective worlds of being under the thumb of a mean employer who has no appreciation for his talents, and the other writing exam answers on his body and still completely failing to pass. The oddly named spies, “Emmett Fizt-Hume” (Chase) and “Austin Milbarge” (Akroyd) are led to believe that they have passed the programme with flying colours, and are given their mission briefing by General Sline (Forrest Whittaker), who has his own reasons to send them totally unprepared into enemy territory.

Unbeknownst to them, they are merely a cover for two real spies – but their mission is about to take an unexpected turn when something goes wrong and it’s up to Emmett and Milbarge to prevent World War 3 (and improve foreign relations with the two beautiful Russian women they meet).

Much of the humour in this movie comes from the goofing around of Chase and cynical wit of Akroyd, as they start out in the Pakistan trying to communicate with the natives and failing miserably. There are some genuinely funny moments along the way and one or two bits of funny dialogue (though in truth much of the dialogue, especially the bad jokes, are truly groan-worthy!). The storyline is decent and has a good twist at the end. It’s nicely paced, the cast do a decent job, and it has a feel-good ending. Despite all its innate silliness it does also have an underlying message, too.

However at the end of the day, Spies Like Us is just another an enjoyable but unspectacular film. A script with some more intelligent humour to supplement the slapstick and silliness would have worked wonders for it.


Quotes

These will give you an idea just how daft this movie is:

Russian Interregator #1: Why are you here?
Emmett Fitz-Hume: Why am I here? Why are you here? Why is anybody here? I think it was Jean-Paul Sartre who once said... how do you spell Sartre?
[soldier slaps him]
Emmett Fitz-Hume: Owww... and let that be a lesson to you.

Groan…

Russian Interregator #2: Every minute you don't tell us why you are here, I cut off a finger.
Emmett Fitz-Hume: Mine or yours?
Russian Interregator #2: Yours.
Emmett Fitz-Hume: Damn!

Actually that bit is quite funny in the film…

Austin Millbarge: They're Afghani freedom fighters! They're on our side! WE'RE AMERICANS!

Potentially misguided fake spy comment…

[Surrounded by Ninja warriors]
Emmett Fitz-Hume: If you let us go, I'll bring back the sun.
[Shows a picture from his wallet]
Emmett Fitz-Hume: Here's a picture of my sister. If you let us go you can have her. I hear she's quite good.

Again, with Chevy Chase’s delivery this is actually quite funny.

Emmett Fitz-Hume: What did she say?
Austin Millbarge: She wants to know why we'd do such a thing.
Emmett Fitz-Hume: Tell her, "So do we."

Ah, so there are signs of intelligent life in the scriptwriting department after all! :-D)


Other Information

Runtime: 102 minutes
Year of release: 1985
Rating: PG
Director: John Landis

This was Bob Hope’s last film appearance – he had a 30-second cameo role. Apparently it was inspired somewhat by Bob Hope & Bill Crosby’s “Road to…” films, though perhaps it’s not quite as manic as those golden oldies!

Final Verdict

If you’re looking for some light and / or daft entertainment, Spies Like Us will fit the bill very nicely.



At 617 words, this is a Lean and Mean Five review! Click the link to see all the entries to this write off or join in yourself.


See also my Top Ten Comedies


Recommended:
Yes