Anne Hathaway, Steve Carell Get Smart
Peter Segal Directs; Buck Henry, Mel Brooks Consult
Jun 15, 2009
While Get Smart may have been based on the 1965 television series, it's hardly necessary to have ever seen it to enjoy a good (guilty) viewing. The film is full of references to the show, but missing them takes nothing away from the humor. The film adaptation features Maxwell Smart (Carell) and Agent 99 (Hathaway) as an unlikely pair of agents out to stop a terrorist organization led by a man named Siegfried (Terence Stamp). It never takes itself too seriously and even ends up being a little charming.
A Nerdy Analyst and a Sexy Agent
Maxwell Smart is one of his agency's top analysts, though he dreams of being a field agent. Despite finally passing his most recent test, his boss (Alan Arkin) finds him too valuable in his current position. An attack on the agency leaves most of the agents exposed, however, and Max finds himself paired with Agent 99, whose recent face surgery makes her unidentifiable. The other field agents--including the much-revered Agent 23 (Dwayne Johnson)--are left to perform desk jobs, making for some great scenes including a jammed copier.
Romance Buds, Humor Wins
Without losing any time, the tension gets a little softer and 99 starts to see Max as a good agent rather than the inexperienced nerd she first took him for. Get Smart is full of paint-by-number character developments and plot points, but it's nearly tongue-in-cheek about the whole thing without being so self-aware as to come off smug. Everything has the feeling of a knowing wink, and making it even smoother are the two leads--pitch-perfect in their roles. Carell has already proven himself to be a savvy comic actor, but it's good to see Hathaway so at home playing goofy charm.
A Cute 110 Minutes
After some hardly-worrying false accusations and double crossing, things are back on track to a happy ending. Plot twists or originality are not the goals of Get Smart. The writers seem to knowingly embrace this, focusing their wit and charms on the dialogue and leaving the actors to deliver it expertly. The performances (it's a pretty great cast, complete with a Bill Murray cameo) and humor (both dialogue and sight-gags) are what this film's about, and it's an enjoyable flick for a lazy afternoon. It's a shame the trailer showcased the most obvious gags and played the film for a snoozefest of been-there-done-that; its strengths are a little unusual for this action-adventure-comedy genre, but it works.
 |
