Dan's Papers - June 27, 2008 - Flick Picks by Ian Stark

From the 40-Year-Old Virgin to a 40-year-old sitcom remake, Steve Carrell continues to reign as the most-likeable and least annoying goofball in movie comedy today. Chalk it up to project selection and a dry silliness, as his turns in Little Miss Sunshine and Dan in Real Life define him as more of an actor than a fool, and his earlier work in Bruce Almighty and Anchorman seemed to be pointing toward. So now that we officially like the guy, even forgiving and forgetting Evan Almighty, is the arrival of Get Smart a sign of terrible slapstick to come?

No - thank goodness - as Peter Segal (director of foolish films such as Tommy Boy and Nutty Professor II) and his creative support have decided the return of Maxwell Smart should be an honorable one.

Carell deserves credit too, as he aptly tweaks Don Adams' career-defining characterization for the theatergoers who may not remember the shoe-phone sleuth, while providing enough morsels of tribute to relax the furrowed brows of concerned Smart fans (Note to Steve Martin: You're fantastic, but you should have rebuilt Inspector Clouseau with the same kind of clever measurements). As you have already gathered, Carell is the new "Agent 86," and we meet him before he gets the undercover gig. At this point, he's just a Walter Mitty-esque CONTROL (the good guys) analyst, daydreaming of one day taking it to the field. Luckily for him - and unluckily for many CONTROL agents - an attack from KAOS (the bad guys) leaves massive holes in the ranks, giving Max his shot. He's soon partnered up with Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), a fashion plate of a partner, and with little delay, the pair is off to stop KAOS from scoring the nukes it needs to cripple the world.

It's a simple affair, with more energy put into the clumsy, yet dedicated, yuks provided by 86 than working out the plotline, which wisely avoids invoking today's terrifying headlines. But then again, those unfamiliar with the original program should know that this is what the show was - a vehicle for a funny man to do and say funny things. The only difference is back in 1965 James Bond was very hot, and network TV did its best to take advantage of that by pumping out some serious and straight-laced secret agent shows, leaving a fitting space for the parody "Get Smart." Here, not quite. The idea of terrorists acquiring nuclear weapons is not really all that funny, so it's safe to say that this is one of the first times in movie history that a lack of plot is actually an enhancement. Besides, who needs more story? Carell doesn't so much become Don Adams, but sort of reincarnates him, flashing much (and throwing out the beloved sitcom catchphrases) of the original but still within his own popular-right-now skin.

The cast does well too, as Hathaway's 99 deftly channels the savvy and Max-forgiving performance Barbara Feldon pulled off so well. There's also Alan Arkin as The Chief, who rarely steps outside being Alan Arkin (no complaint here) and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Agent 23, doing another fine job, as he continues to prove he's more than just a wrestler-turned-actor.

So yes, go see this movie. While it's not going to change your life, it is a ton of fun and full of enough action to utilize the big screen. But while you're heading over to the megaplex, just remember that the original "Get Smart" was co-written and co-created by none other than Mel Brooks (Buck Henry was the other half). We've already seen Young Frankenstein go from hysterical movie to excellent musical, and The Producers go from hysterical movie to wonderful musical, then back to a (so-so) movie, and now we get "Get Smart" refashioned, which will probably end up a franchise with box-office success. With all this Brooks' material getting re-honed and re-shopped to new audiences, it's a fascinating study in speculating what eventual echelon of authorship Mr. Mel will be held at once it's all said and done. Let's hope that's a far-off destination.

Ian Stark is a frequent TV and radio commentator on the film industry, and consults with private organizations on their collections. He is widely published on film and other arts/culture topics.