“Get Smart” Offers Up A Surprising Cocktail Of Funny And Good

Maxwell Smart: Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
The Chief: I don’t know. Were you thinking, “Holy shit, holy shit, a swordfish almost went through my head”? If so, then yes.

Now, I’m not old enough to remember the TV series “Get Smart,” but I’m pretty much up for anything that has Steve Carell and/or Anne Hathaway in it. So when Netflix dialed up this movie adaptation a little while ago, I figured I’d see what the hubbub was about.

After all, Mel Brooks is one of my personal heroes, and he was a co-creator of the TV series, which aired in the late ‘60s. I’m sure he never envisioned someone like “The Rock” starring in any adaptation of “Get Smart,” but we’ll let that one slide.

As expected, Maxwell Smart is played by a bumbling Carell, with some physical-comedy moments that were similar to Kevin James in “Paul Blarth: Mall Cop.” The always-hotter-than-Hades Hathaway is solid in her role as Agent 99, showing a comedic side as well as the ability to perform some of the physical stunt work. Working within this dynamic that holds some sexual tension, Carell rips off a series of hysterical one-liners:

Agent 99: Max has no experience, and I don’t want him as my partner.
Smart: Well, that is a sucker punch to the gonads.

Agent 99: Did you see anything while I was dancing?
Smart: Just once, but I don’t think you expected him to lift you so high.

All in all, “Get Smart” was funnier than expected, even though I felt it was a role that Carell could and would have some fun with. Carell is a bit underrated as an actor, after all, and he’s done a good job of breaking out of the Michael Scott mold often enough (see: “Dan in Real Life”) that you can actually watch him without waiting for Dwight to show up or for him to make a mind-numbing racial fau paux. And overall, it was a pleasant surprise, turning into a much better flick than anticipated (despite the Rock’s presence). I don’t know what, if anything, is in the works, but I could actually see this premise be extended through a few sequels, along the lines of an “Austin Powers” type of series.

And as long as they still feature Carell and Hathaway, I’ll be there to catch them on Netflix.