The Spy Who Dumped Me narrates the story of Audrey (Kunis) and Morgan (McKinnon), two best friends who unwittingly become entangled in an international conspiracy when one of the women discovers the boyfriend who dumped her was actually a spy.
From the trailer, the film seems to then curtail into an adventure which is packed with full-throttle comedy and action, with twists and turns along the way. Therefore, there seems to be a very entertaining premise. So how good is this Susanna Fogel film? Filme Shilmy reviews.
From the very beginning, our attention is captured and we instantly get an impression of these two ordinary women: one who is heartbroken (Kunis), while the other is happy-go-lucky and treats every situation with a pinch of salt.
How these naive two customary women suddenly get intertwined in a dangerous espionage situation is a fascinating concept, which has not been fully established in Hollywood.
As such, the film’s idea is very relevant to the current ‘Me Too’ and ‘Time’s Up’ era in the industry because it proves that ‘impossible’ is a word which does not exist in a woman’s dictionary… If these two innocent women can fight an unexpected situation without being professionals, then anyone can.
Throughout the film, there are several instances where there are subtle hints of gender-role reversal. For instance, Morgan is in awe of the fact that the big MI6 boss (played by Gillian Anderson) is a female, rather than a man.
Also, there is a scene when Morgan sees the bare chest of agent Sebastian Henshaw (Sam Heughan) she says “nice boobs”. Though this is comical, it’s interesting to see how a woman says this to a man.
Ofen in Hollywood films, we see that it is the man who makes a pass at a woman – but this time tables have turned and I must say that it is quite tongue-in-cheek!
Even if that is not enough the fact that Susanna Fogel, a woman, has helmed this commercial action-comedy. This is a phenomenon which surprisingly does not occur prominently in the American film industry.
I mean, how many mainstream Hollywood comedy-action films can you remember that has been made by a female filmmaker?
In addition to the concept and comical aspects, the film is enriched with some edge-of-the-seat action sequences. There are moments which will make you go ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’, definitely worth the money.
I also feel the performances of the main cast contribute to the overall enjoyment of the movie. Mila Kunis is good.
She has that vulnerability and savviness required for a character like Audrey and this translates well on celluloid.
But it is Kate McKinnon who steals the show as the chirpy and bubbly Morgan. She brightens the screen with her comedic prowess and she is so effortless.
Every scene is performed with the utmost energy and the viewer just cannot get enough of her.
Justin Theroux enacts his part well as Drew. Though he does not appear frequently in the movie, he is decent in his role.
More than Justin, I feel it is Sam Heughan who makes more of an impact. He is dashing, talented and has a great screen presence. I can really take him seriously in an espionage role.
Hasan Minhaj – who has made us laugh with his comic timing plays a role with various shades and it is not a stereotypical ‘Desi’ character.
He undertakes the character of Duffer with such gusto and he brings his own style to it. Would love to see him more in such meaty roles!
Gillian Anderson is seen briefly as the MI6 head and being the legend she is, she does a decent job with whatever part she has.
There are definitely many strong attributes to the movie. But with such an action-comedy movie, you can expect a lot of larger-than-life and exaggerated sequences and there is a lot.
As such, there are a few loopholes in the storyline, but a memorable one is how Sebastian, Morgan and Audrey break into a Gala in Berlin so easily.
Whilst we see them hatch and execute a plan, it does not seem convincing and is far-fetched. But is nonetheless, entertaining to watch.
All said and done, The Spy Who Dumped Me achieves what Ocean’s 8 could not – and that is to entertain the audience with awesome action stunts, laugh-out-loud moments and exude female empowerment without preachiness.
If you’re seeking for sheer entertainment, then go and watch this film as this will definitely lighten your mood for sure!
