Get Smart

The year was 1980, I was in the Fourth Grade, and every afternoon at 3:00 p.m. a strange little man came on my TV. in a quirky little show created by the very twisted and very talented mind of Mel Brooks. “Get Smart” was a funny little show that I didn’t really understand until I got older – much older. Friday night, June 21, 2008 sitting in a dark theatre with about 200 of my closest movie friends I watched the reincarnation of the quirky little man, Maxwell Smart.

The original Maxwell Smart was slightly arrogant, at times quite conceited and always clumsily stupid. The new Max is smart, compassionate, and driven – but still a bit strange and clumsy. Steve Carell executes the role of new Max flawlessly. Much like Don Adams before him, Carell gives life to Maxwell Smart though use of subtle facial expressions and body language with an ease that makes one wonder if Carell weren’t Adams incarnate.

An amusing and sharply written script executed by an exceptionally clever cast makes Get Smart a very entertaining two hours. Despite the age difference between Anne Hathaway and Steve Carell, they are able to create exceptional movie chemistry. With several cameo appearances throughout the movie, it is quite fun to seeing them pop up from time to time, especially Bill Murray.

The audience was vastly different in age, which I truly believe enhanced the experience. From the row of teeny boppers behind me and the 50 something’s in front of me – we all were entertained heartily throughout the entire film. It has been since Star Wars in which I have been part of an audience that clapped at the conclusion of a film – at the conclusion of Get Smart, the audience stood, cheered and clapped with gusto.

Prior to the movie, I read the review of the film by the ‘professional critic’. In this professional review the movie was completely panned. After watching the film, and hearing so many people discuss how wrong the review was, those comments reinforced why I keep my blog going.

There is only one complaint that I have about the flick is that there weren’t more gadgets. Don’t get me wrong, there were several really cool gadgets, but I simply wish there had been more.

Get Smart is a full price, see it opening weekend, kind of movie. It was a lot of fun to watch and I hope a sequel of the same caliber is forthcoming.