Today’s quick review: Spy Time. Adolfo (Quim Gutierrez), a slacker whose girlfriend Katia (Alexandra Jimenez) has just left him for being too boring, has lived his entire life without learning that his father is the famed Spanish superspy Anacleto (Imanol Arias). Adolfo gets a crash course in the family business when Anacleto’s nemesis Vazquez (Carlos Areces) escapes from prison. Now father and son must work together to outwit their greatest foe.
Spy Time is a spy comedy about an aging spy and his ordinary son. Spy Time puts a wry spin on the spy genre. Anacleto, his organization, and his nemesis are all past their prime; the stakes are as high as ever, but much of the flair has left the spy business. Meanwhile, Adolfo has his own crises to attend to: his girlfriend leaving him, the assassins that are after him, and the discovery that everything he knew about his father was a lie.
Imanol Arias and Quim Gutierrez give the movie a strong comedic core to work with. The dysfunctional dynamic between the two forms a bridge between Anacleto’s world of espionage and danger and Adolfo’s utterly mundane life. Katia and her brother Martin (Berto Romero) help keep the comedy coming. Between their bickering, Adolfo coming to grips with his father, and Vazquez’ dubious return to his life of crime, Spy Time earns consistent laughs.
Spy Time’s plot works surprisingly well for a comedy. The film fits in plenty of comedic beats without sacrificing action, and it walks the fine line between dramatic tension and parody with skill. Neither the stunts nor the plot are spectacular, but both help to give the film some excitement, and the balance out the comedy nicely. However, Spy Time has just enough violence and mature humor to damage its light tone, especially for sensitive viewers.
Watch Spy Time when you’re in the mood for a light romp with a pleasing mixture of action and comedy. Spy Time is not an iconic, memorable, or entirely original watch, but it is a fun one. Give it a try when you feel like popcorn. For a similar flavor of spy comedy, check out Get Smart. For one that’s heavier on gore and action, check out Kingsman. For a cartoon slapstick comedy with a superficially similar plot, try Looney Tunes: Back in Action.
6.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for energetic comedy.