The two main characters are ordinary women who get caught up in international espionage and turn out to be—what are the odds?—pretty good at it. They shoot villains with relative ease and accuracy, instinctively hide flash drives in their privates and so forth. This type of disposable formula action comedy usually has men in the leading roles, but
TSWDM (directed by Susanna Fogel, written by Fogel and David Iserson) proves that mediocrity is not bound by gender. Mila Kunis’ ex-boyfriend Justin Theroux reveals he’s a CIA agent and gives her a package to deliver, which she and her kooky-with-a-capital-K best friend Kate McKinnon undertake to accomplish while potentially untrustworthy but dashing CIA spies pursue them. The action scenes are surprisingly good—and surprisingly violent—and the comedy has its moments. But the film leans too heavily on McKinnon to provide levity without always giving her much to work with, and the screenplay uses profanity like a kid who just learned how. If only there were another spy movie out in theaters to watch instead ...
By
Eric D. Snider