Spies Like Us (1985)

Absolutely Fantastic

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Blistering performances.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

If you don't live this film, shame on you. Two of the greats at the height of their powers

A pair of knuckleheads get embroiled in international affairs as America's worst spies. Of course, their dispatch is deliberate, as they are being used as decoys for the real operation, shipped off to be nothing short of glorified target practice for the less than friendly groups over in the Middle East.Aggressively pedestrian, this mid 80s John Landis offering lacks spark, wit or even hard laughs. A shame as Chase and Aykroyd make for a decent team, and the plethora of cameos make for a cute novelty (including a quickie from one of my heroes, Terry Gilliam) for cineasts. It's even directed competently, with nicely varied locations and production values that feel like they belong in a proper spy film: secret bunkers, the arid lands of the Middle East and the snow drenched hills of Russia.However, all of this is null and void if the funnies just ain't coming, and despite Ackroyd having a writing credit, most of this film is other leaden wordplay or poorly timed slapstick that conceptually, should be funny (like a gag involving a jet, or another involving missiles) but somehow, it just doesn't click. Comedy is a really subjective thing, but given the film's lowly reputation, it's obvious I'm not alone here. And when it's not either of those, it's just a retread of old spy film tropes that have already been parodied 1001 times before and far better, and it does nothing new or amusing with them to make the revisit worthwhile.Honestly, beyond the cameos and the odd, rare chuckle, Spies Like Us is a rightfully forgotten title from Landis' extensive catalogue. It says something when I'm craving Beverly Hills Cop III over this.

If you don't smile at any point during this movie, your sense of humor is greatly lacking.This movie is set up to make fun of several classics and itself, at the same time. Writers developed the funny and artistic way of getting a couple of out of luck actors to believe they are playing a major gig in delivering the missile. Then they add the classic love and heroism in an actual and understandable form. They comedy routines are timed perfect to keep the plot moving and the film from feeling long. The cast they put together has very familiar faces which the crowd easily recognizes as being funny and know they are going to get a good laugh. Truly and artistic masterpiece and a cult classic.This is a wonderful treasure for a comedy collection and great to see again on the BIG SCREEN. This is certainly one that falls into college cult classic favorites.

I had never seen this movie, which came out the same year as the landmark "Back to the Future", but found it now on a DVD from the library, along with the 3 Austin Powers movies.The story is told in a style which reminds me of movies like "Airplane" and "Austin Powers", a parody of spy and action movies made only for comic relief. While I enjoyed much of it, overall it comes across as very stale today.Chevy Chase is Emmett Fitz-Hume and Dan Aykroyd is Austin Millbarge. Both are government employees, and quite different personalities. They only meet when they are taking a test for a possible promotion, and each is chosen to work with the other in a two man spy team with an assignment in Russia.The ruse here is this, they are chosen to be the incompetent, decoy team to allow the real spy team to work undetected. And for the most part they are incompetent. However in the end they are the ones who save the day, and avoid all-out global nuclear war.SPOILERS: In the snowy wilderness of Russia they come upon a nuclear ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) carrying a nuclear warhead. They are fooled into believing they are to capture and disarm it, but in fact a rogue general back in the states wants to send it to the USA, in a misguided attempt to revive fervor in nuclear defense. As the missile is headed for New York, Millbarge manages to figure out a way to divert it, and all is saved. Plus he gets the pretty girl.