‘The Spy Who Dumped Me’ Review
Stars: Mila Kunis, Kate McKinnon, Justin Theroux, Gillian Anderson, Dustin Demri-Burns, Sam Heughan, Hasan Minhaj, Peter Schueller, Mirjam Novak, Kev Adams, Ivanna Sakhno, Jane Curtin, Paul Reiser, James Fleet, Tom Stourton | Written by Susanna Fogel, David Iserson | Directed by Susanna Fogel
Audrey (Mila Kunis) and Morgan (Kate McKinnon), two thirty-year-old best friends in Los Angeles, are thrust unexpectedly into an international conspiracy when Audrey’s ex-boyfriend shows up at their apartment with a team of deadly assassins on his trail. Surprising even themselves, the duo jump into action, on the run throughout Europe from assassins and a suspicious-but-charming British agent, as they hatch a plan to save the world.
Susanna Fogel’s The Spy Who Dumped Me advertises and sells itself as something along the lines of parody of sorts, and nothing could be further from the truth. In actual fact, Fogel’s film stands firm on its own two legs as a competent and engaging action comedy property. A truly entertaining function of both stellar action set pieces that feel straight out of a fully-fledged action-oriented franchise, and a slice of energetic humour that doesn’t feel overly dependent on but more so a pleasant chaser of sorts that result in moments that are engulfed with hilarity.
Kate McKinnon continues to excel in formulating outstanding supporting characters throughout her career, and her role as Morgan in The Spy Who Dumped Me is no exception. Her timing, ad-libbing and charisma is without a doubt, terrific. Undoubtedly McKinnon is the heart and soul of a film that could have very well teetered on stale genre conventions in a single-barrelled genre of straight action, yet the action/comedy route is far more beneficial to evoke a far greater deal of entertainment value. It does follow a thin line of self-awareness, but never a clear set prerogative. more so relishing the absurdity and chaos of events that unfold.
The action spectacle itself is surprisingly superb. Scene blocking is efficient and cinematography from Barry Peterson, hand in hand with an edit by Johnathan Schwartz that utilises a lasting edit rather than the rapid jump-cutting with open wide angles, dealing a confident palette regarding action set-pieces. In particular, a car chase set piece that feeds on an adrenaline-fuelled comedic blast of a journey from start to finish.
For some, I’m sure the deficit of said experience will be the issue of farce and slight repetition, although that argument would be redundant considering the level of positives that arise in Fogel’s film, which suffices as a strong independent voice of a truly charismatic and humble venture that succeeds all expectations in such a saturated and dense market.
The Spy Who Dumped Me is in UK cinemas now.
