Doesn't Suck Outright
Strangely, oddly, curiously, I didn't hate Get Smart. I wouldn't have felt very good if I'd paid to see it, but it's mildly amusing (emphasis on the "m" word) here and there. I was expecting it to be awful and it's not. It is, however, a little dreary to sit through. Okay, more than a little. But despite the depressing atmosphere of surrender to corporate attitude and authorship in every corner of it, Steve Carell's Maxwell Smart is half-appealing. He half-creates his own guy and half-channels Don Adams.
I know what it's like to feel horribly burned by a bad big-studio film, and Get Smart did not do this to me. I wasn't in the least bit engaged or turned on and I didn't laugh out loud once -- but I didn't despise it.
I vaguely hated myself for sitting there and watching it this afternoon, but I have to be honest and report that the audience laughed a lot and clapped at the end. Nobody near me as I was walking out was putting it down. They knew it was basically a nothing movie, but they didn't seem to mind. Whatever...we're on vacation! I'll tap out a bit morethis evening, but I have to get to a Cinevegas movie that's starting 35 minutes from now.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on June 15, 2008 at 6:51 PM
comment #1
MickTravis
says ...
Carrell is funny, even in shit like Evan Almighty.
Hathaway is incredibly easy to look at.
Arkin is the Chief.
I really don't understand how someone could expect to actually hate this.
Now, "The Love Guru" on the other hand ....
Posted by MickTravis
at June 15, 2008 7:19 PM
comment #2
Mgmax, le Corbeau
says ...
I'm glad to hear it, there are plenty of things I think should suck this summer, but that wasn't one of them.
Posted by Mgmax, le Corbeau
at June 15, 2008 7:31 PM
comment #3
EOTW
says ...
Is Carrell still getting a pass for his work in that masterwork LMS? Let me know when Wells starts his backlash.
Yeah, AH is a piece of ass.
MIke Meyers??? *shudders*
Posted by EOTW
at June 15, 2008 8:20 PM
comment #4
D.Z.
says ...
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117987417.html?categoryid=2508&cs=1
Posted by D.Z.
at June 15, 2008 9:58 PM
comment #5
T. Holly
says ...
Sounds like you're the one who hates it. All he said was that In comparing the tv show to the movie, there are many differences to be pointed out, not that teen/young adults and summer crowds wouldn't enjoy it. The reasons to remake it are long ago and far away enough for a lot of people never to remember the original that inspired it or to re-live the way they were. (Lindsey Lohan would have made a good, modern Agent 99!)
Posted by T. Holly
at June 15, 2008 10:06 PM
comment #6
D.Z.
says ...
Lohan would have been an awful 99. My pick would be Rachel McAdams.
Posted by D.Z.
at June 15, 2008 10:13 PM
comment #7
T. Holly
says ...
Wrong, for one thing LL has vocal chords like Barbara Feldon and luck of the Irish mock sincerity.
Posted by T. Holly
at June 15, 2008 11:19 PM
comment #8
PerfectTommy
says ...
My teen daughters are big Office fans, but they find the age difference between Carrell and Hathaway creepy.
Posted by PerfectTommy
at June 15, 2008 11:33 PM
comment #9
T. Holly
says ...
Precisly, she's Halfawaif and Lohan's got heft, gravitas, sort of.
Posted by T. Holly
at June 15, 2008 11:52 PM
comment #10
D.Z.
says ...
Lohan sounds like a whiny adult still thinking she's still a teenager. No way would she make a good 99. Plus the age issue would still be there.
Posted by D.Z.
at June 16, 2008 12:47 AM
comment #11
scooterzz
says ...
lohan's got nothing...she's a complete non-entity....(well, as far as film is concerned)....
Posted by scooterzz
at June 16, 2008 1:09 AM
comment #12
Todd
says ...
If I remember correctly and I believe I do. Buck Henry said Get Smart was a parody of the CIA. It pointed out how dumb the agency really was during the Cold war BS. Given how the CIA mismanaged the gathering of information on Iraq and the war on terrorism this assessment still holds true today. Unfortunately it seems like this movie is not touching on this origin of Get Smart.
Posted by Todd
at June 16, 2008 1:14 AM
comment #13
Todd
says ...
Okay I just read the Varity review. Maybe the producers were afraid of taking Get Smart into the 21st century for fear that a Fatwah would be decleared against them. Given some muslims would use any excuse to kill innocent people for expressing sarcastic humor. For example norwegian cartoonist.
Posted by Todd
at June 16, 2008 1:24 AM
comment #14
MAGGA
says ...
Danish cartoonist. Us Norwegians got some embassies burned etc, but it's due to the genius Muslim extramists not knowing a lot about world politics or geography. Not that I don't support the right to print them. Our foreign minister said "I would give my life to support freedom of speech and I use my freedom of speech to denounce the newspapers for reprinting these drawings", which is tthe kind of modern politician-speak that would make Orwell's head hurt. Is this relevant to a discussion of Get Smart? Regrettably it appears not.
Posted by MAGGA
at June 16, 2008 1:39 AM
comment #15
Arizona Joe
says ...
Half channeling Don Adams sounds like a good tact.
Pretty Anne Hathaway probably does a good job as Agent 99. But I hope she mixed in a few elements of Barbara Feldon.
As you old timers will remember, during the original run of the show, Feldon pitched a hair dressing while lying on a tiger skin rug in a well known commercial. She would purr and urge male consumers to "come on like tigers," or something similar.
Now, this had nothing to do with "Get Smart." But Hathaway doing some purring and coming on to Max would be a great homage to Feldon and put more sex into the film.
Posted by Arizona Joe
at June 16, 2008 2:04 AM
comment #16
DarthCorleone
says ...
"Doesn't suck outright!" - Jeffrey Wells
That's a keeper quote for the DVD cover.
Posted by DarthCorleone
at June 16, 2008 2:12 AM
comment #17
D.Z.
says ...
Todd: I think it's more like they were worried if it was topical, it'd bomb like those other Iraq war movies.
Posted by D.Z.
at June 16, 2008 2:49 AM
comment #18
D.Z.
says ...
http://www.somethingawful.com/d/movie-reviews/happening-shyamalan.php
Spoiler Alert.
Posted by D.Z.
at June 16, 2008 3:01 AM
comment #19
BurmaShave
says ...
Should have cast someone in his age range. Sandra Bullock comes to mind. She could use a hit.
Posted by BurmaShave
at June 16, 2008 3:14 AM
comment #20
Rich S.
says ...
I did the math and Feldon was 9 years younger than Adams when the show premiered in 1965.
Hathaway is 20 years younger than Carell. Ouch. Any actresses in the 36 year old range that come to mind?
Posted by Rich S.
at June 16, 2008 7:47 AM
comment #21
Josh
says ...
That constitutes a rave from Wells.
Posted by Josh
at June 16, 2008 7:49 AM
comment #22
Mgmax, le Corbeau
says ...
I got news for you, in Hollywood "20 years younger" IS Carrell's age range.
Posted by Mgmax, le Corbeau
at June 16, 2008 7:51 AM
comment #23
westegg
says ...
Yeah, I didn't see the two leads as looking like they had a glaring age disparity.
But then I'm 51 and jealous. :D
Posted by westegg
at June 16, 2008 8:32 AM
comment #24
renorambler
says ...
It's perplexing T. Holly's continued support of Lindsey Lohan. (we've had this conversation before) The best film she has been in was Mean Girls or perhaps, Prairie Home Companion. But in both cases she was the weakest part of the film. She can't sing, Barely acts, and looks like a little girl playing dressup whenever she tries to pull off a "sexy adult".
Posted by renorambler
at June 16, 2008 8:36 AM
comment #25
T. Holly
says ...
Are you kidding me? The voice, the boyish torso, androgenish she-man, hardcore sexual undertone, self mockery comic twin timing to help explain the inexplicable love she has for Max vs. the blank nubile fashion plate. Age ain't a number, it's years baby.
Posted by T. Holly
at June 16, 2008 8:57 AM
comment #26
T. Holly
says ...
Here, take a look back at Get Smart. (I assure you, the Lohan idea is nowhere in there:)
http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sunday/fanfare/ny-ffmov5723119jun15,0,7283628.story
Posted by T. Holly
at June 16, 2008 9:19 AM
comment #27
Richardson
says ...
"I got news for you, in Hollywood "20 years younger" IS Carrell's age range."
Every love interest he has had prior to this has been within seven years of him, though. He's 45, Catherine Keener is 49, Lauren Graham is 41, Amy Ryan is 38, Nancy Walls is 41...
So he's not really a good example for your overall point.
Posted by Richardson
at June 16, 2008 10:57 AM
comment #28
Mgmax, le Corbeau
says ...
"The best film she has been in was Mean Girls or perhaps, Prairie Home Companion."
The remake of The Parent Trap.
Which was quite charming... and rather sad to see now.
Posted by Mgmax, le Corbeau
at June 16, 2008 11:36 AM
comment #29
frankbooth
says ...
"...in Hollywood, 20 years younger IS Carrell's age range."
Hooray for Hollywood!
Posted by frankbooth
at June 18, 2008 1:26 AM
comment #30
jany
says ...
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Best regards,Jane, CEO of high availability clustering
Posted by jany
at April 22, 2011 7:20 AM