The Spy Who Dumped Me is an action comedy that upholds both parts of that description like a champ. In fact, I've seen films this year that weren't even half as good at just one of those things, so to absolutely nail both is quite an achievement. First let's talk about why it's funny: the dynamic between Audrey (Mila Kunis) and Morgan (Kate McKinnon) was great; McKinnon's quirky absurdity really bounced off of Kunis's "straight man" grounded personality type, as well as off the entire supporting cast. It successfully pokes fun at its own genre in a way that is engaging rather than off-putting or immersion-breaking. It was also self aware in the sense that it knew, and made jokes about, Europe's perception of Americans, but didn't push it too far or get overly political. Now let's talk about why it's action-y: well, simply put, it's fits into the action genre because it has a fair bit of action in it and it's quite good! The fight scenes are all well choreographed, and they have weight and are believable, but they're not boring.
Audrey and Morgan are like ordinary people who have never done this before and are just getting out alive by the skin of their teeth, which makes the professionals seem all the more adept. I was pleasantly surprised that this comedy was showing me martial arts, Gun-Fu, and stunts at a level that most actual action films fail to reach (without appearing ridiculous). It was all easy to follow, with minimal cutting away, and even featured stunt scenes that were filmed in one continuous take. In summary, The Spy Who Dumped Me is a laugh-out-loud comedy that doesn't skimp on action. Sadly, I don't think the rest of the world has been convinced of that, as it's been out a month and barely managed to turn a profit. I don't think we'll be getting a sequel anytime soon but perhaps another studio will see the hilarity and potential value of Kunis and McKinnon’s ditsy duo.
Let me know what you thought of The Spy Who Dumped Me in the comments here on the site, or on Twitter at @Mooscittles or @superinkarts.
Written by Kyle J. / Mooscittles
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