MY SPY: THE ETERNAL CITY – A Review by Jenn Rohm
Four years later, J.J. (Dave Bautista) wants to provide for and protect his stepdaughter Sophie (Chloe Coleman). He has removed himself from the field but keeps inserting himself into Sophie’s life. She is now a teenager and has started to have different interests that do not involve hanging out with J.J. When her school choir earns the chance to perform in Italy, he steps up to be a chaperone in hopes of bonding with her. On the other hand, she has rules for him and her own plans.
The cast does everything they can to deliver a movie for the first My Spy (2020) fans. Kristen Schaal returns as Bobbi and Ken Jeong as David, and they both bring their awkward twits to the movie. Joining the cast is Anna Faris in the role of Nancy and Flula Borg as Crane. When we first see Faris, she is a brunette, and it is one of those I know that I know her but couldn’t place her mysteries, which kept pulling me out of the movie while on screen. Borg is a more muscular Thin Man/Crispin Glover character that seems to be in all spy movies now. Bautista and Coleman retain their connection from the first film, but none of these things can save this cliched and overly predictable screenplay.
The action is bigger than the prior film and more violent. I was surprised some of the jokes didn’t up the MPAA rating. There is a specific scene involving a nude male statue and a joke that is made. I would not have understood until I was much older than 13. There were moments aimed at a younger audience and then a big swing to a much older audience. If they had picked a smaller age range, it might have helped.
My Spy: The Eternal City is available to watch on Amazon Prime. Put on some comfy clothes, grab a drink and some snacks, and enjoy it from the comfort of your own home. There is no need to get out in the heat or spend money on gas for the car.
Director: Pete Segal
Written By: Erich Hoeber, Jon Hoeber, Peter Segal
Cast: Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman, Kristen Schaal, Flula Borg, Craig Robinson, Billy Barratt, Taeho K, with Anna Faris and Ken Jeong
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for violence/action, some strong language, suggestive references, teen drinking, and a nude sculpture.
Genres: Action Comedy
Selig Rating: 3 stars
Runtime: 1h 52m
Release Date: July 18, 2024
Stream Service: Prime Video
Trailer: My Spy The Eternal City trailer
Website: My Spy The Eternal City website
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.
