Get Smart

I give this theatrical production three stars. I must admit I have never seen the television show, so I probably do not have as much appreciation for it as fans. However, I am a Jame Bond fan, but I actually did not see much connection between Get Smart and the Bond franchise it is supposed to be spoofing. Actually, I did recognize that a sequence involving one parachute two heroes and a rhinoceros sized villain was paying homage to a scene involving one parachute James Bond and Jaws from Moonraker.

I also did not enjoy the romantic development between Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) and Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway). I really would have rather that they just went about their business without becoming romantically involved. In many films I find the romance between the lead male and lead female unnecessary, and just thrown in because the film maker believes that if he puts in some romance with the action and some sad scenes it will be a good film. Which reminds me, there were some sad moments in the film, which always make me feel awkward in a comedy. The film is for comedic purposes, but then sad moments are added. However, they are not sad/funny moments like in Anchorman when Ron Burgundy loses Baxter, or in Borat when Borat learns Pamela Anderson is not a virgin. These sad moments were also serious, and have no business being in a comedy. The elements of the film are supposed to move the film along by promoting the feature's theme. Just mixing in everything to cover all the bases does not promote the scene and creates a confusing film. It is like adding every cookie filling from oatmeal, to raisins, to chocolate chips, to M&M's, with some chocolate and vanilla, and do not forget the crunchy wafer, and remember the caramel, but slip in some cream filling, then some peanut butter filling, oh and add some fruity jam on top. It just becomes one gross cookie.

However, aside from these small problems Get Smart is philosophically sound. In fact, the first philosophically sound film I have seen since Iron Man. Furthermore, I enjoy the way in which comedy is used. Comedy is not just for comedy's sake. It is not purely slapstick. However, I do enjoy some ridiculous slap stick comedies like Anchorman, but in this case the comedy moves the film along. It is as if the comedy is happening naturally, like it could exist in real life. Additionally, the jokes are not repeated over and over again, like the repetitious humus jokes in You Don't Mess with the Zohan. Though I actually did not mind those jokes that much. However, I will say the jokes do lag at parts because they are antique comedic punches with no new twist. For example, a rat goes down Carell's shirt and pants as he is trying to get through a web of lasers. Obviously, this causes some problems, meaning injuries. I knew that before I saw it happening because I have seen the rat-in-the-pants-during-a-difficult-physical-situation-joke before. However, some old comedic punches are developed. For example, in the beginning of the film Carell walks through several automatic high security doors to get to CONTROL headquarters. Everyone has seen this a million times. In this situation, however, Carell is carrying an enormous stack of papers and one of those sheets flies off and gets caught in the door as it closes behind him. He quickly wrestles the paper out, but then the next door closes before he can make it through. Consequently, he must enter the code again.

Finally, I will also add that Carell does a wonderful job of creating a new character, and I am speaking for every time he acts. Before seeing the film my cousins were explaining that when they watch Carell in The Office they do not think of his character from Little Miss Sunshine or The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Every time Carell performs he creates a new character, even though they are all in comedic settings. They have basic similarities but Michael Scott is nothing like Maxwell Smart. Obviously, this is the meaning of acting, but in so many other comedies - particularly Will Ferrell ones - the same basic character with a different name and clothes is used over and over again.