Saturday, June 21, 2008

Get Smart!

I had to put up a review today because I'm eager to see what others thought of GET SMART.
This was one of my favorite TV series when I was a kid.  Maxwell Smart and Agent 99?  I wanted to be both of them.  As long as cool gadgets were involved.  I don't know how many dreams I had about walking through those secret doors into the inner sanctum filled with super spies and Control.  

I don't normally go to comedies.  Not sure why, maybe it's that $8.75 I have to shell out.  I prefer to pay for tears not laughs.  But I was not going to miss this movie, despite the fact I've never cared for Steve Carell all that much (though I thought he was great in Horton Hears A Who; could it be because I didn't have to see him?).

I've just read a few reviews that said it was a disaster, less than impressive.  Well, I thought it rocked!  I laughed.  A lot.  And that's the best judge of a comedy, isn't it?  Sure, it gets a little doofy at times.  Sure, some of the acting could have been better.  (I wasn't too impressed with Anne Hathaway.)  But overall, it paid wonderful homage to the original TV series.  I had forgotten that Smart wasn't so much a bumbling idiot as a highly intelligent man who just happens to have a lot of bad luck.  The man has heart, and is genuine.  He means well, and tries so hard.  And Carell nailed the character.  One great example was the dance scene: he gestures to a group of sexy young women, hoping one will respond, but is rebuffed.  But he shakes his finger at them.  Oh, no, I'm not interested in you ladies.  I want her...the fat girl hiding in the corner behind them.  And it's played so warmly, and for the right kind of laughs.  Loved it!

And if you like action, you'll be surprised by the amazing action scenes, especially the one at the end.  I kept saying to myself, wow, this would fit right into even the biggest action flick.  It's creative and daring and had me at the edge of my seat. 

Watch for a Bill Murray cameo.  And yay, for the shoe phone!  (I think I tried to make a few phone calls with my shoe when I was a kid, yeah, rotary dial and everything.)

Did this movie miss it by that much?  Not at all.  I thought it was right on the mark!
M

15 comments:

Cindy Gerard said...

Hey Michelle. I'm glad to hear you liked it. I LOVE Steve Carell and I LOVED Maxwell Smart so I've been wanting to see this movie. I've had some reservations because of the reviews but now I'm jazzed about going again.

Kathleen Eagle said...

Ditto what Cindy said about Steve Carell and the original "Get Smart." I was disappointed in this week's Strib review, so I'm glad to get your take. I can't go to a movie until I get this book done, but this sounds like one I'll want to see one way or another. Loved "40-Year-Old Virgin." Not so much the Noah's Ark thing. Also loved Steve in "Little Miss Sunshine, one of my favorite movies.

Kathleen Eagle said...

About action scenes, I saw a Goldie Hawn woman in jeopardy movie on TV recently--part of it, at least--called "Deceived." I don't know why I watched as much as I did except that I was doing something else with the TV on--my version of multitasking, often have news on while I read the paper--but I ended up using it to tune into my likes and dislikes and realizing yet again that nothing bores me as much as a protracted chase scene. This one was villain chasing woman through the dark and scary building. She throws obstacles in his path and ends up engineering his fall down an elevator shaft.

It doesn't matter to me whether it's cars, helicopters, or on foot, it's boring. A recent exception for me was "Bourne Ultimatum" because the use of the hand-held camera was fascinating. But for me, the ad nauseum chase is a whole lotta not much happening.

Michele Hauf said...

I do love me some actions scenes. Give me an explosion, and I'm basically happy. But I agree that the smart action scenes are where it's at. FOrget the standard car chase. But if you are going to do a car chase, make if original, smart and interesting. I won't spoil, but there's this kiss during the car chase, and it was just perfect. :-)

Next movie I am just dying to see? WANTED, with Angelina Jolie. I so need some over-the-top shoot-em-up action with a bit of sex and blood thrown in. And yeah, Angie is one sexy chick. I think she falls on a lot of straight female's "I'd Do Her" lists. Next Friday, everyone!

Debra Dixon said...

We're getting smart this weekend but we haven't gone yet.

Thrilled to hear that the movie lives up to a fan. Hubby loved Get Smart and has been waiting to go see it.

We loved Steve Carell in 40 Year-old Virgin.

Dina said...

I was lucky to get a pre-screening ticket and really enjoyed it. It was funny, had action and not boring, alot like th TV series, but can do it on it's own.

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen the movie yet, not because I don't want to but because it seems silly to catch a movie while on vacation. However, my kids and hubby want to see it so I might be vetoed.
I also want to see Wanted- I picture her (Jolie) when I read about the sexy badass chick in books- especially her characters in Tomb Raider and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Unknown said...

Michele, I saw it Friday evening and I really liked it! I confess that I really like Steve Carrell. . . in spite of not watching a single episode of The Office. (Kathy, I really liked Evan Almighty! I think it was the animals.)

I didn't laugh as much as I'd hoped to. . . but when I looked over, the DLP was grinning and chuckling all through the movie! And I LOVED The Rock. . . he has such a surprising flair for comedy. Definitely inspire casting. And I really liked the kisses. . . all of them! Ptooey!

I did think they could have punched up a few of the signature lines: like the "missed it by that much." The comic pacing was a little off in places for me, but the action was smart and wonderfully done! I really liked it!

Anonymous said...

We're going this week!

Cannot wait!

Michele Hauf said...

glad you liked it, Betina! The Rock does have his surprising moments. I read somewhere that he's trying to drop his He-Man image and do a lot more family oriented stuff.

Debra Dixon said...

I can now report back after seeing Get Smart.

Hubby was a fan. He thought it was great. Really laughed in several places. Said they hit every mark. Especially the scene in which Smart is trying to get a car to go to LA. He goes through every kind of car he drove in the series; we meet the real Sigfried (sp?) driving one of the cars; and that car was the car the Sigfried character drove.

I thought is was very enjoyable. No complaints here.

Helen Brenna said...

I love Steve Carrell, and while I like Get Smart, I wasn't crazy about it. Carrell was perfectly cast for this movie!

Hellie Sinclair said...

I saw it...and I too am *not* a Steve Carrell fan, but this was really cute. And the "missed it by this much"--AWWW factor.

I loved Anne Hathaway too, though. Lots of people don't like her acting style, but I think she's great in stuff.

And I always adore Dwayne Johnson in movies! Granted with his good looks and toothy grin, he's pretty much bad-boy action hero status every time, but dang he's great with comedy!

Very cute movie...and I adored the dancing scene! I was so afraid they'd make that horrible, but it was handled beautifully!!

flip said...

Glad you enjoyed Get Smart. I was worried when I saw the bad reviews. I laughed out loud at the movie trailer. I loved the original series. Don Adams and Barbara Feldon were so perfect for the show. It is hard to believe anything created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry could be bad.

I am eager to see it.

Darcy Burke said...

Fab review, Michelle. I love Steve Carrell and I LOVED this movie. Almost died laughing. And you're so right about him nailing the character. They celebrated the TV show without killing the jokes or overdoing it. Absolutely pitch perfect. Can't wait to buy it on DVD.