The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018)
August 8, 2018 6:49 PM - Subscribe
Audrey and Morgan are best friends who unwittingly become entangled in an international conspiracy when one of the women discovers the boyfriend who dumped her was actually a spy.
Easily passing the Bechdel–Wallace test (on multiple points with multiple characters), this is a buddy action movie that is funnier than I expected, given that its reviews are wildly mixed (ranging from decent/goodish to terrible).
Although I'm unfamiliar with the director, Susanna Fogel, I'm of the firm belief that she has earned her right to direct the next big-budget action franchise. The shoot-outs and car/motorcycle chase scenes are solid. ("Who knew a woman could direct action scenes?" asks Hollywood's Old Boys Network.)
Kate McKinnon is mostly kept on a relatively tight leash, preventing her from going too over the top with the googly eyes and the crazy faces, but is still allowed to have fun with her character. Mila Kunis does a really solid job in evolving her character into a world-class spy.
My biggest issue is the inclusion of a real life person into the plot. I wish they could have found a more palatable substitute to turn to for help.
It's not a perfect movie, or the best action spy movie out there, or even the funniest comedy you'll ever see, but it's a decent choice for a light evening at the movies, especially with a mixed bunch of friends who can't decided what to watch, or with a group of women or girls who want something on the lighter side or something with some typical male-hero action.
It does earn its R rating with brief (male) nudity, and some coarse language, including talk of a sexual nature (in case anybody is considering taking younger teenagers to see it).
Easily passing the Bechdel–Wallace test (on multiple points with multiple characters), this is a buddy action movie that is funnier than I expected, given that its reviews are wildly mixed (ranging from decent/goodish to terrible).
Although I'm unfamiliar with the director, Susanna Fogel, I'm of the firm belief that she has earned her right to direct the next big-budget action franchise. The shoot-outs and car/motorcycle chase scenes are solid. ("Who knew a woman could direct action scenes?" asks Hollywood's Old Boys Network.)
Kate McKinnon is mostly kept on a relatively tight leash, preventing her from going too over the top with the googly eyes and the crazy faces, but is still allowed to have fun with her character. Mila Kunis does a really solid job in evolving her character into a world-class spy.
My biggest issue is the inclusion of a real life person into the plot. I wish they could have found a more palatable substitute to turn to for help.
It's not a perfect movie, or the best action spy movie out there, or even the funniest comedy you'll ever see, but it's a decent choice for a light evening at the movies, especially with a mixed bunch of friends who can't decided what to watch, or with a group of women or girls who want something on the lighter side or something with some typical male-hero action.
It does earn its R rating with brief (male) nudity, and some coarse language, including talk of a sexual nature (in case anybody is considering taking younger teenagers to see it).
This is a movie that needed to happen. It really befuddles me that there aren't more female buddy movies. I don't expect it to be a great movie, by any means, but it looks like a movie that's great for a fun summer evening. Which, really, is what movies should be.
posted by kevinbelt at 9:54 AM on August 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by kevinbelt at 9:54 AM on August 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Who's the real person who shows up? PM me if you don't want to post spoilers. I ask because I've already once settled down to watch a movie only to be suddenly smacked in the face with Matt Lauer, and I'd like to avoid that experience in future.
posted by Mogur at 11:47 AM on August 9, 2018
posted by Mogur at 11:47 AM on August 9, 2018
It was a fun movie with some actual laugh out loud moments (many of them were visual comedy with what the camera focussed on/ POVs). I'm glad I saw it in the theater with a lot of other women who were into it. I'm not sure I'd mostly recommend it, though. (And I did find Kate McKinnon's character to be just a little much.)
P.S. I also would be interested to know who the real person was. Also, I would have liked more people of color in it.
posted by small_ruminant at 12:21 PM on August 9, 2018
P.S. I also would be interested to know who the real person was. Also, I would have liked more people of color in it.
posted by small_ruminant at 12:21 PM on August 9, 2018
I don't think you can spoil something from below the fold within the discussion thread about it. "Edward Snowden" shows up, at least from behind.
posted by ChuraChura at 12:37 PM on August 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by ChuraChura at 12:37 PM on August 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
So is this actually a play off The Spy Who Loved Me, or is it a riff of Austin Powers, which would mean we're in second-tier spoofing now? I'm really looking forward to the parody of Robin Hood: Men in Tights!
posted by 2ht at 1:33 PM on August 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by 2ht at 1:33 PM on August 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'd say neither. It's more a take on the spy-film genre than on a specific movie. It's also a lot less parody than you'd expect. It's more along the line of a Lethal Weapon sequel in terms of tone, so more buddy action movie with humour thrown in than something like Austin Powers.
And yes, Kate's character was said to have known (and not really liked) Snowden, but at one point, the girls and the professional spy need help breaking some government encryption, so Kate's character places a call to Snowden. He is shown in shadow, from the back, and takes part in a brief telephone conversation.
posted by sardonyx at 2:04 PM on August 9, 2018
And yes, Kate's character was said to have known (and not really liked) Snowden, but at one point, the girls and the professional spy need help breaking some government encryption, so Kate's character places a call to Snowden. He is shown in shadow, from the back, and takes part in a brief telephone conversation.
posted by sardonyx at 2:04 PM on August 9, 2018
Keep in mind there are some stupid bits that fall more on the comedy, parody side of the scale, but I guess that could be said for some of the worst, most excessive Bond films as well.
posted by sardonyx at 3:02 PM on August 9, 2018
posted by sardonyx at 3:02 PM on August 9, 2018
I adored it. It's an over-the-top gonzo action-comedy flick a la Deadpool from a female perspective. I have wanted this for two Deadpools now. I don't need this in every movie but I want one for every goddamn Deadpool, ok? (I like Deadpool a lot, just to be clear.)
posted by restless_nomad at 7:46 AM on August 10, 2018
posted by restless_nomad at 7:46 AM on August 10, 2018
This was very enjoyable! McKinnon just runs away with the movie.
posted by The Whelk at 5:15 PM on August 21, 2018
posted by The Whelk at 5:15 PM on August 21, 2018
YET AGAIN I make the mistake of taking lukewarm reviews seriously for a female-led comedy and nearly miss an entertaining movie! And I really could've used a laugh last August, bah. This is one of the funniest things I've seen all year.
(it also continues my "wait who is that guy" thing with Justin Theroux, if my life depended on identifying Theroux in a lineup of people who look entirely unlike him I would still fail)
posted by grandiloquiet at 8:48 AM on November 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
(it also continues my "wait who is that guy" thing with Justin Theroux, if my life depended on identifying Theroux in a lineup of people who look entirely unlike him I would still fail)
posted by grandiloquiet at 8:48 AM on November 24, 2018 [1 favorite]
Watched this last night on a whim - I can't remember the last time I watched an action movie that was this fun. I meant to see this in the theaters and didn't get around to it, and am definitely regretting it now.
The Edward Snowden cameo did take me out of it for a second, but I don't think the joke would have worked if Morgan had mentioned a random spy dude who had a crush on her from summer camp.
posted by dinty_moore at 7:18 AM on June 30, 2019
The Edward Snowden cameo did take me out of it for a second, but I don't think the joke would have worked if Morgan had mentioned a random spy dude who had a crush on her from summer camp.
posted by dinty_moore at 7:18 AM on June 30, 2019
I just saw this on an airplane and thought it was really fun. The dumb, "this is a map of the zoo" joke made me laugh loudly enough that people looked over at me. I don't want a sequel but I would love a series of buddy-action-comedy movies with Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon, they had such great chemistry.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 10:27 AM on July 19, 2019
posted by ActingTheGoat at 10:27 AM on July 19, 2019
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I saw this with the same friend with whom I saw Oceans 8 and now I think we've been spoiled and can only watch movies with awesome ladies being funny and badass.
posted by ChuraChura at 6:35 AM on August 9, 2018 [3 favorites]