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It’s not very often I leave a theater trying to figure out when the last time I saw a better movie in that genre. That happened this week. My wife and I went to see Get Smart. I found myself laughing uncontrollably on several occasions, even spontaneously clapping with several other audience members. It was that good and that funny. My wife and I both tried to think of the last time we saw a comedy that funny. I still can’t remember one.

I’m still baffled to read some of the negative reviews about the film. But even those that didn’t like the film as much as I did still acknowledged one thing – Steve Carell was perfect for the role of Maxwell Smart.

The combination of slap-stick with dry one liners fit perfectly into what I’ve come to know and love of Carell as The Office‘s Michael Scott. If I did have one issue is was that Maxwell Smart came off as Michael Scott as a spy, but it worked so well that I didn’t care.

Carell was obviously the driving force behind the film, but the other
actors and actresses more than held their own with clever lines and
great chemistry with one another.

While it follows recent action comedies, most of which didn’t deliver on either end much less both, Get Smart was able to wise up to what audiences want and deliver sharp action and perfectly timed comedy with even a dash of a serviceable plot.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a few spy-like twist and turns of double agents and hidden relationships worked into film. They made it that much more enjoyable.

Reading the reviews made me remember why I distrust most movie critics – they don’t really care about what the average moviegoer wants to see. They would rather see some inane artistic exploration of comedy that sarcastically skewers and preferably takes aim at those with whom the critic disagrees.

Get Smart does poke fun at both Hollywood Liberals and President Bush, but it does so gently and … smartly. It doesn’t bog itself down into trying to be something it’s not and instead excels at being exactly what it is – a fantastic summer action comedy that I will have to buy on DVD for numerous repeat viewings.

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