Get Smart (2008)

There have been several attempts to rejuvenate the characters and comedy of the original Get Smart series starring Don Adams but none of the small-screen efforts ever worked out. Given Hollywood’s track record of butchering adaptations of classic TV shows, it came as little surprise that plenty of eyes rolled when this film was announced. Fortunately, the result isn’t the disastrous abomination fans of the show had feared.

After years of working as an information analyst for CONTROL, Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) is denied an agent position because he is too valuable behind a desk to risk in the field. When terrorist organization KAOS attacks CONTROL’s secret base, agent identities are exposed, thrusting Max into full agent activation overnight. He gets a new codename (Agent 86) and partners up with the lovely Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), while the former hotshot Agent 23 (Dwayne Johnson) is forced into deskwork now that he is among the exposed.

Smart’s clumsiness generates plenty of chagrin for the no-nonsense 99 as they travel across the globe in an attempt to prevent KAOS from carrying out a nuclear attack on American soil. His attempts to be a suave secret agent blow up in his face but he proves himself a worthwhile addition to the force in the end. Along the way he and 99 face a number of physical and mental challenges that bring them closer as professional partners and then some.

Recently I have altered my approach to judging movies based on other materials. It’s my opinion that it is unfair to judge a film as an adaptation because that kind of comparison is usually loaded with bias. Sometimes you can’t help but compare films with their source material but it’s wise to do so only as a reference point. Get Smart retools a lot of its source material out of necessity. With a modern setting, there are fewer cute gadgets because most useful spy technology already exists in miniature form thanks to technological advancements. While this may not have hurt the rebooted James Bond films, it does take away from the humor of Get Smart because the show was always a spoof of TV spy dramas and the Bond flicks. Without all the silly gadgets, the film loses a little bit of ground to stand on.

The only other comparison I care to make is about the relationship between Smart and 99. On the show, 99 thought her partner was dreamy and they were already a couple. Then again, they were both also seasoned agents. The film is an origin story, so it makes sense for the pair to have to grow to like each other. Fans of the show might not like it but then again, if they tried to make it too much like the show, fans would complain about a lack of originality.

Given Get Smart’s roots as a spoof of the 60s spy craze, it’s a little jarring to see how serious the film gets at times. Agent 99’s stern outlook tends to neutralize Steve Carell’s goofiness early on, sucking some of the fun out of it. Carell hits his stride around halfway through the film and it makes sense for him not to eschew the cocky swagger of Don Adams. In retrospect, it’s refreshing to see Smart as an unconfident new agent. It seems to me, though, that Carell puts a little too much Michael Scott and 40 Year Old Virgin into this new incarnation of Maxwell Smart.

Despite her character’s killjoy attitude through much of the film, major props go out to Anne Hathaway for her performance. She produces a solid blend of sex appeal and toughness befitting of a modern female special agent. While stunt performers were certainly involved, Hathaway looks like she belongs in all of her action scenes. She nails all of her hand-to-hand combat moves and, most importantly, looks like she is willing to kill the bad guys. She’s not just a pretty face maneuvered through blocky choreography. If nothing else, this should give moviegoers a little more confidence in her ability to play Catwoman in next year’s The Dark Knight Rises.

Despite solid performances by its leads, Get Smart does suffer one fatal flaw: its resolution is far too predictable. Even if they weren’t trying to keep it a secret, the identity of the mole can be reasoned out even before the film’s midway point. If you take the mystery out of a spy comedy, you’re only left with the comedy, which is too often stifled here.

There’s a reason why Get Smart worked as a TV show in the 60s. It was a time when audiences sought escapist entertainment to take their minds off of the gloomy world they lived in. That kind of escapism isn’t in vogue anymore and much of it seems silly when we look back on it now. That is why the Austin Powers films were so successful- they were a tongue-in-cheek spoof and homage to 60s spy entertainment that went beyond Get Smart’s clean humor. Had Austin Powers not made it to the big screen, a Get Smart movie might have been more warmly welcomed. Instead, it feels like a last-minute responder to an already full party.

RATING: 2.75 out of 5

Bowfinger (1999)

Who doesn’t love taking a few shots at Hollywood every now and then? The film industry is full of frauds, egomaniacs and naïve fools. Comedic legend Steve Martin manages to wrap all of these industry archetypes into an amusing tale about a bunch of wannabes desperate fulfill their misguided dreams of breaking into the big time.

Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) is trying to launch a career as a film producer. He’s been working at achieving his dream for years but has only managed to save a paltry $2,184 to pay for production. A studio executive gets Bowfinger’s hopes up by saying that he’ll distribute the film if Bowfinger can get Hollywood mega-star Kit Ramsey as the lead. When Ramsey refuses to work on such a low-budget production, Bowfinger is crushed but he doesn’t give up.

Taking the half-baked script, written by an accountant, and a team of overzealous and under-skilled actors, Bowfinger plots to make the film guerilla style- his actors and camera crew will ambush Kit Ramsey in and around Hollywood to get the shots they need while also having him as the unknowing star of their production. Bowfinger has the rest of the cast thinking that Ramsey knows what is going on and is merely ‘method acting’ to portray his confusion. Unfortunately, Ramsey is a seriously paranoid member of the MindHead cult- a connection that seriously jeopardizes the production.

As amusing as Bowfinger is, there is a problem. Viewers who aren’t keen on the intricacies of Hollywood will miss about half of the comedy in this film. That’s not a huge problem but what most people will see is just the zany antics of a bunch of pathetic wannabes. Just under the surface of what appears to be a screwball comedy lays a foundation of satire, black comedy and a slew of Martin’s own observations after years in the business.

It’s a shame that most people will miss out on some of the details. I’m willing to bet that (aside from the guerilla filmmaking) there is an awful lot of truth about Hollywood in this film. Bowfinger tackles a number of ideas: cult of celebrity status, ageism in Hollywood, tired cliché-ridden genre films, the manipulation of young actors, financing and more. The lampooning of celebrity cult-like groups such as Scientology are the most obvious targets but Martin is a sly writer and knows how to avoid the one-trick pony trap.

This film may just mark the last legitimately funny live-action role Eddie Murphy has played (which is sad considering it’s been 11 years since Bowfinger was released) but he rightfully steals the show. First, his manic paranoia as Kit Ramsey is delightful. His other performance as Kit’s awkward brother Jiff, who the crew uses to film some close-ups, is amusing because it’s the first time we get to see Murphy play a nerdy character without the aid of a fat suit. These two polar opposites are fun to watch.

At times it’s hard to cheer for Bowfinger and his band of misfits because they resort to stalker behavior and Bowfinger himself gives in to some of the evils of Hollywood that have frustrated him in the past. Thank goodness no one has attempted to make a real movie by the same tactics on display here. In the end, just about everyone appreciates a good underdog story, which is what this is.

Funny but sadly forgettable, Bowfinger is one of those gems that are worth dusting off every now and again for a few hearty chuckles. Martin may fill his script with winks and nods to those in the know but there’s a little something for everyone here.

RATING: 3.25 out of 5

Yes Man (2008)

In 1994, Jim Carrey took Hollywood by storm with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. For the next four years he could do no wrong and could make any comedy a hit at the box office. Carrey dabbled in non-screwball territory long enough to hurt his stock. Since then he has been reduced to trying to recapture that old shtick and magic of yesteryear. Carrey nearly pulls it off again in Yes Man.

The nature of Carrey’s comedic prowess is in itself a hindrance. He is one of the finest character actors of the last 20 years and completely loses himself in his role. His most memorable roles are those for which he engaged in high amounts of physical comedy. The truth is that audiences became accustomed to caring only for Carrey’s antics and not the substance of his characters. As his career as continued, Carrey has shown more interest in characters that have something to say but audiences only care how he says it.

Yes Man initially fits the Jim Carrey mold- a guy finds himself in an inescapable situation that is prone to all sorts of humorous situations (think The Mask, Liar, Liar and Bruce Almighty). After reluctantly attending a self-development conference, Carl Allen (Carrey) finds himself unwilling to say no to any offer or situation that comes his way. He’s trying all kinds of new things and meeting new people, including the lovely Allison (played by Zooey Deschanel with her usual, awkwardly vacant approach).

This time around, there isn’t anything supernatural or beyond his control keeping Carrey’s predicament going. It’s all just a misinterpretation of a self-help guru’s pitch. Along the way the filmmakers get off track by trying to throw a few lessons at us. In case you hadn’t noticed, filmmakers, Jim Carrey’s last few comedies-that-care weren’t received well by audiences. What makes you think it will work this time?

Carrey seems to be going through the same mid-life dilemma that hit Robin Williams. As an artist, he wants to do more than just comedy but the masses don’t really care. In the meantime, a new generation of yuck-men has stolen Carrey’s limelight, making him less and less of a box office draw each year. Thus we get films like Yes Man, which try to bring us in by assuring us that it’s the tried and true Carrey formula. The problem is that formulas get boring and predictable and Yes Man doesn’t even allow Carrey to hit full stride. The funniest moments come either as quickly edited clips or they get hijacked by the film’s mediocre romance element.

While the concept of a man who can’t say ‘no’ has plenty of comedic potential, the filmmakers seem content to let the film ride it out in second gear. Carrey also seems willing to let this happen. Maybe he’s realized that he doesn’t have the clout to demand changes to a script anymore. More likely, he realizes that he has to make a film like this every couple years to stay relevant and is just rolling with it. Either way, it’s kind of sad to see.

Yes Man will make you laugh but it won’t make an impression. It seems that the Jim Carrey formula is finally faltering. Some will be surprised that this is possible. Others will be surprised that it took this long. Whichever camp you fall into, there is enough good-natured and zany humor in Yes Man for us all to sit back, relax and watch what might be one of Jim Carrey’s last legitimately funny movies, however uninspired it may feel.

RATING: 3.25 out of 5

Elektra (2005)

This is a confusing and confused movie. My expectations were low to begin with, as it is a combination sequel and spin-off of 2003’s Daredevil. Daredevil itself was underwhelming and uninspired but between modest gains at the box office and Jennifer Garner’s popularity from the hit show Alias, this movie was destined to be made. With alterations to the main characters back-story and a poorly thought out attempt at several layers of misdirection, Elektra fails to impress.

Jennifer Garner is a beautiful woman, which appeals to young men. Lots of martial arts action, violence, and high-energy stunt work also appeals to this demographic. Banking on a pretty face and some flashy stunts are poor choices for the foundation of a movie. I wasn’t able to determine if this film is actually based off any of the Elektra comics, but considering how very little praise it received from comic book enthusiasts (or anyone else for that matter) I would venture to guess that the story was written just for the film.

I have little to say about the acting because it was actually pretty good for a comic book movie. However, whatever good comes out of the acting is undone by the illogical choices and poor dialog given to the cast. They do their best with it but even they seem to be unsure of their words. This makes the whole package feel awkward and pushes it into the realm of silliness at times.

While the protagonists are sufficiently developed, though veiled behind the layers of misdirection, the antagonists are treated like disposable toy soldiers. They serve their purpose by creating a threat to Elektra and her goal, thereby acting as the impetus for a number of flashy displays of stunt work and CGI. They look mean and act mean, but their back-story and an explanation of how or why they have their supernatural powers is not explained. The only known motivation is that they work for the bad guy and like to hurt people. They’re not very deep, which is a shame. I tend to enjoy multifaceted, morally ambiguous villains.

All in all, the fight scenes go overboard and become the focus of the film. It really seems like the plot takes a backseat for about an hour and is used as a thin ploy to move between fight scenes. Then there is the hint at the end that the events of the entire film were part of a larger misdirection meant to teach Elektra some larger lesson in her ongoing training. This serves only to confound me further, because that implies the higher up good guys risked Elektra helping the bad guys at first. It’s all too much for anyone but comic book fanboys, and even they didn’t respond to this film favorably.

Eye candy aside, this movie is a stinker.

RATING: 1.25 out of 5