That anyone can be a spy A stunning, wonderful, high-quality and epochal film of one of the greatest pillars of the American school of comedy - John Landis! Legendary comedians Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd are just at the height of their professional and creative activity, at the peak of their success, in the triumph of their comedy "life" - perhaps their best joint film in the 80s.
One of the first and perhaps the best comedies that delved deeply into the essence of the problem and raised the question and the difficult political situation of the Cold War, the difficult relationship between the Soviet Union and the United States, almost no one could repeat this, only a year later, the American actress Penny Marshall managed to bring something close, which became popular but completely lacking in level, idea and idea - Jack the Jumper.
Although, alas, this film is not as popular as its follower, but I like it much more than the work of Marshall, the physical comedy side in the spirit of the best works of the Marx Brothers here is perfectly combined with adventure farce, spy thriller absurdity and even a dashing action movie, in the best traditions of "Red Heat", a stunning plot, although not causing such a stormy ovation today as then, should be awarded the award, amazing dynamism, stunning shallow, not devoid of irony, humor, brilliant film buffle around the scouts, this film is capable of shaking up the two great fans!
Spies Like Us is incredibly fun and at the same time incredibly serious. Just as the unfounded cynical ambition of the American military was once ridiculed in Kubrick’s masterpiece Dr. Strangelove, so Landis’s film shows the repulsive aspirations of military apologists to “preserve the American way of life”, the aim full of abnormal patriotism to save the ideals of “what they believe” even at the cost of billions of lives is indignant, and how well there are still kluts on earth who are not able to hold a machine in their hands normally, ready to save the world from destruction, even with their stupidity.
Written satire in the context of a completely pleasant comedy, does not spoil the impression of viewing, and even in a sense makes it more holistic, more complete, partly why "Spies Like Us" became one of those golden seeds, cult comedies that became the classic embodiment of the 80s over the years.
John Landis improvises throughout the film all sorts of incarnations of the most famous agent-subject of His Majesty – James Bond and other valiant agents on the guard of order and national security, who alone and almost bare hands fight with the ubiquitous “Kagebashnik”, Terarugs, “Doctors No” and other universal incarnations of evil. But Landis, skillfully moving from parody to sitcom, perfectly places the dots “on you”, doing it qualitatively, very subtle and original.
For Dan Ackroyd, this was not the first work with Landis, he worked with him in the Blues Brothers, even there he showed the comediographer his amazing talent, ability to miraculously enter the image and irresistible desire to work, here he proved that despite the loss of his best friend – also a famous comedian. John Belushi, who died three years before the film came out. But he wanted to work in this film with him, he is able to create, create, embody, even despite the difficulties of life, this is what a strong person and an amazing actor means!
Chevy Chase in this film is also good, even more - he is remarkable, dexterous, quirky, cunning, loving, able to get out of any situation, launching his typical, but the quality of performance is the best, brilliant role in his work, almost on the same level with "Christmas Holiday", "Flatch" and "All Troubles".
In addition to Aykroyd and Chase, here you can see a surprisingly motley company of legends, stars and simply famous people in small but very bright roles, here and Frank Oz, and Bob Hope, and Martin Brest, and “Pynton”. Terry Gilliam, and the legendary bluesman B. B. King, and even found a place for the popular radio host Seva Novgorodtsev, whose famous program “Rock-Seed” heard the entire USSR.
This is a stunning, high-quality, light, albeit old-fashioned comedy, which is not ashamed to put on the shelf, in the golden part of the collection. This is an old school comedy, not stained with the vulgarity and dirt that so corrupt most modern films. This film has a unique comedic “liveliness”, juiciness, pleasant aftertaste and incredible, inexplicable nostalgia, after watching it. Such films are no longer made, and thank God, such films still have viewers who are able to appreciate such imperishable creations.
10 out of 10