Get Smart

From the desk of The Movie Snob

Get Smart (B). I am totally unfamiliar with the television series on which this action-comedy is based, but the previews looked reasonably funny, and I like Steve Carell (The 40-Year Old Virgin) a lot despite his recent misstep Dan in Real Life. I was expecting a lightweight comedy with lots of slapstick. The movie was decently funny, but it is also is surprisingly action-packed, with stunts and explosions worthy of--dare I say it?--a James Bond movie. Carell makes a good Max Smart, who is made out to be a savvy intelligence analyst (i.e., paper pusher) at top-secret spy agency CONTROL, but a little too clueless (and uncoordinated) to be a great field agent. But a sneak attack by KAOS forces Max's boss (well-played by Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine) to deploy Smart to Russia, paired up with the more competent and highly attractive Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway, Ella Enchanted). Much like Inspector Clouseau, he generally succeeds despite himself. Worth a trip to theater, especially for a matinee.