My Spy (Amazon) …Buddy Buddy Baatein

My Spy(Amazon)

Starring  Dave Bautista,Chloe Coleman,Kristen Schaal,Ken Jeong, Parisa Fitz-Henley

Directed  by Peter Segal

Rating: ***(3 stars)

Just when  we though the ‘F’ word  had gone out of formula  filmmaking, the fun factor returns to infuse every actor in a film that is surprisingly funny  and entertaining. Just putting a bulky wrestler  turned, ha ha, actor in the same  frame as a 9-year old girl who is more intelligent and a better  actor tham the wrestler-hero can ever be,  is a winning formula.

My Spy has more going for it  than the  wrestler-hero and his  diminutive  co-star. It takes the buddy -bonding theme to an unexpected crescendo of smart-alecky dialogues  and engaging  confrontational  situations  between little Sophie(Chloe Coleman) and  big JJ(Dave Bautista).The  direction is razor-sharp  and the  plot wisely  retains its  self-directed sense of humour  even when Bautista takes to the dancefloor with steps that seem  stoten from Sunny Deol.

A gauche screen  presence is converted  into  a source  of  fun .Bautista who is a co-producer  on  the  project knows he can’t act. He  lets  little Miss Coleman  take  over  the  frames,while he’s  happy to be playing a socially awkward   hulky social embrassment who needs to be told  what to wear and when not to dance.

It’s a all very predictable, including  the self-mocking  climax replete with a cliffhanging  airplane,  but no less enjoyable  for it. There are some episodes in this  sharply-written rom-com of  endearing  hilarity  between the  fantastic child  actor   and  Bautista.She has a reply to every question that the CIA  agent brings up. Watching this pintsized wonder-girl  make the oversized  duh-huh guy putty in her hands, is all the  impetus you  need  to watch this film.

Also  watch out for Kristen Schaal as the hero’s  espionage partner, and  Bautista’s two  gay neighbours who are  not what they seem to be. These are  characters  painted broad but  vigorous strokes  played by actors who are in it for the fun…a  sureshot entertainer  during these  surly times.

There is  a hint of  a sequel at the  end. I am  all for it, provided Ms Coleman  doesn’t grow up and  go away.