by Diana Howard

Created on: July 23, 2008   Last Updated: August 11, 2008

"Get Smart" is a Really Smart Film

This summer, whatever you do, do not miss Get Smart. Loosely based on the popular hit series of the same name "Get Smart", this offering stars Steve Carell and Ann Hathaway and has one of the best ensemble casts in film. Playing Chief, the head of control is Alan Arkin, one of the most versatile actors ever, who so deftly tightropes between comedy and drama that he makes each character he creates completely believable and likeable. In the same tradition, Steve Carell, who plays Maxwell Smart, brings to his character an authenticity that was sadly lacking in the character of the television version. Steve Carell who splap-schticked his way through Bruce Almighty, and the 40 Year Old Virgin, has grown substantially as a character actor and his expertise shows in this role. Whereas I wasn't a fan of his before, this and his portrayal of Evan Almighty has me sold on this actor's talent.

His co-star Anne Hathaway who plays agent 99 balanced her roll with just the right amount of skepticism and contempt for her partner, Maxwell Smart. It is clear that she thinks him a bumbling amateur, however, by the end of the film, his courage, intuitiveness and down-right determination wins her over. My problem with the television series was that I could never understand how a seemingly competent agent like "99" could possibly love a lame-brain like Maxwell Smart. In this film, Carell is no lame-brain, though finesse does not appear to be his strong suit, and when Agent "99" finally falls for him, its a credit to her character's insight as to Max's ultimate value.

I thoroughly enjoyed the sub-plot romance between Agent 99 and Agent 23 played by former "Rock" Dwayne Johnson, who cut his acting teeth playing strong man villains and warriors, and has now mastered the art of comedy/drama. His timing was great and you found the character likeable, if a bit pompous. I was surprised to find that he was her former lover and a "Control" double agent. In addition, Max's two computer-nerd buddies, played by Nate Torrence and Masi Oka, humorously addressed that age old problem of brawn verses brain in the workplace. I loved it when the fly that was buzzing around Patrick Warburton got smacked and then turned out to be an expensive Control Project gone wrong. In the end, they proved that brawn without brains is useless.

Kudos' also to James Caan who's portrayal of a United States President gave us an insight to three or four of our former Presidents who shall remain nameless . Suffice to say that what he really seemed to be portraying was the American Bureaucracy in all its incompetance. And that Bureaucracy was evident as Control, out of favor with the FBI and the Secret Service had to prevent Chaos from detonating nuclear suitcase bombs set to go off when a specific musical sequence is played. Their attempts to even enter the concert hall against FBI wishes were hilarious.

The special effects were Bond-esque and plentiful so that those of you who love action films can take your wives and girlfriends who might favor romance and comedy. There's a whole lot of fun in this film for just about everyone.

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