The Spy Next Door (2010)
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12% of critics liked it
(89 reviews) -
46% of users liked it
(105,009 ratings)
Reminiscent of Kindergarten Cop, with a dash of Spy Kids, The Spy Next Door blends together an entertaining mixture of family fun and martial-arts comedy styling to form a familiar story that once again reminds us that even hardened action heroes have a soft side. Jackie Chan stars as Bob Ho, an… More Reminiscent of Kindergarten Cop, with a dash of Spy Kids, The Spy Next Door blends together an entertaining mixture of family fun and martial-arts comedy styling to form a familiar story that once again reminds us that even hardened action heroes have a soft side. Jackie Chan stars as Bob Ho, an international spy on loan to the CIA who gives up his job in hopes of leading a so-called normal life with his next-door-neighbor girlfriend and her rambunctious brood. There's nothing in Spy that the audience hasn't seen before from similarly themed incarnations (think The Pacifier), but, fans will appreciate director Brian Levant's homage to Jackie Chan's past Hong Kong movie blockbusters -- most notably, Police Story and The Legend of Drunken Master -- during the opening credit sequence, which is fitting considering many of the action sequences are derivative of those films.The main story centers on Bob's relationship with artsy single mom Gillian (Amber Valletta) and her three kids: precocious teenage stepdaughter Farren (Madeline Carroll), nerdy middle child Ian (Will Shadley), and adorably energetic Nora (Alina Foley). After an emergency sends Gillian away to Denver, Bob steps up and offers to watch the kids while she's gone. Ill-equipped to handle a situation that's clearly over his head, Bob utilizes his spy skills and gadgets -- video watch, GPS tracking, x-ray glasses -- to gain control over the situation in hopes of winning over the kid's affection, but when an old enemy escapes from prison and threatens his potential family, Bob must return to his 007 world of international espionage to protect them.Admittedly, there's a certain level of cheese in this film, especially when it comes to the Boris-and-Natasha-style villains, Poldark (Magnús Scheving) and Creel (Katherine Boecher), whose silly Russian stereotyped performances and running joke about American fashion unabashedly border on cringe-worthy territory. Not to mention, the thinly plotted storyline involving brainiac Ian, who accidentally downloads a top-secret formula for oil-eating ooze created by the bad guys, which propels the main action of the film. Adding to the pile are the supporting cast members: George Lopez as the traitorous CIA agent, Glaze, and Billy Ray Cyrus as CIA agent and Bob's BFF Colton James, who lends folksy witticisms like "As gone as rum cake at an AA meeting."Even so, Chan's charm wins out in the end, and The Spy Next Door's most effective sequences involve Bob's attempts to bond with the kids -- from taking little Nora shopping for a Halloween costume to helping Ian with school bullies and girls. These comedic moments more or less overshadow an otherwise simplistic narrative, and the audience can't help but smile to themselves every time Chan appears onscreen. Die-hard fans might miss the era of classic kick-ass Hong Kong action films, but Spy manages to fill that void as an entertaining alternative that kids and parents alike will enjoy. ~ Alaina O'Connor, Rovi
- Directed By
- Brian Levant
- Written By
- Gregory Poirier, Jonathan Bernstein, Jim Greer
- Genres
- Action & Adventure, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Jan 15, 2010 Wide
- Studio
- Lionsgate
Critic Reviews
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Cath Clarke, Time Out
Even the outtakes barely raise a smile.
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Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle
At some point, the social mores that functionally banned most other forms of ethnic stereotyping will catch up with the Slavs, a sad day indeed for middling screenwriters.
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Jennie Punter, Globe and Mail
Chan's comedic gifts and still-nimble moves are wasted in a string of unimaginative household calamities and practical jokes.
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A.O. Scott, New York Times
As for Mr. Chan, he has some passably choreographed bits with folding chairs, a bicycle and, later, some pots and pans at Gillian's house. But it's hardly enough to redeem -- or even make bearable -- this half-hearted hodgepodge.
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Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
The script -- which took three people to write -- is barely coherent, and it's unclear whether Brian Levant was even on set when he directed. All that's left for us to enjoy are the action scenes, and frankly most of those are a little depressing.
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Cast
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Jackie Chan
as Bo Ho
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Amber Valletta
as Gillian
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Madeline Carroll
as Farren
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George Lopez
as Glaze
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Billy Ray Cyrus
as Colton James
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Will Shadley
as Ian
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Alina Foley
as Nora
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Magnús Scheving
as Poldark
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Katherine Boecher
as Creel
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Lucas Till
as Larry
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Mia Stallard
as Cute Girl
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Maverick McWilliams
as Chad
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Quinn Mason
as Carl
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Margaret Murphy
as Mom
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Frank Bond
as Walter
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Arron Shiver
as Scientist
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Esodie Geiger
as Principal
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Stephen Eiland
as Taxi Driver
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Tim Connolly
as Russian Thug
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Troy R. Brenna
as Russian Thug
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Jeff Chase
as Russian Thug
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Scott Workman
as Russian Thug
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Mark Kubr
as Russian Thug
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David Mattey
as Russian Thug







