If Looks Could Thrill

At every turn, both Jason Statham and Rose Byrne played it self-obsessed, oblivious, absurd, and brilliantly inept.

Playing a caricature of his on-screen tough guy persona, Jason Statham’s character shares ever more idiotic, insane, over-the-top acts of his past bravado as testament to his own magnificence. In his characteristic gravel of a growl, he recounts his many past glories – each more absurd than the previous – such as ingesting every known poison, and reattaching his own severed arm with his other arm.

Jason Statham’s unbelievable deadpan monologues are the most lol-worthy part of the film.

But the film’s smoothest hilarity is Rose Byrne’s spoiled-brat, viciously honest, knee-jerk homicidal arms dealer with the diva hairdo.

Rose Byrne is genius. In all her comedic roles – Get Him to the Greek, Bridesmaids, Neighbours – she brings an air of seriousness to the absurd. In Spy, her character utters the most awful things in a manner that only those dedicated to being bored can muster. In lines delivered deadpan, with a one-two punch of pleasantry followed by deeply-cutting insult, Rose Byrne shows what makes her a truly sophisticated master of comedy.