My Spy

{{short description|2020 film by Peter Segal}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox film | name = My Spy | image = My Spy poster.jpg | caption = Official release poster | director = Peter Segal | producer = {{Plainlist| * Chris Bender * Peter Segal * Jake Weiner * Robert Simonds * Gigi Pritzker * Dave Bautista * Jonathan Meisner }} | writer = {{Plainlist| * Jon Hoeber * Erich Hoeber }} | starring = {{Plainlist| * Dave Bautista * Chloe Coleman * Kristen Schaal * Parisa Fitz-Henley * Ken Jeong }} | music = Dominic Lewis | cinematography = Larry Blanford | editing = Jason Gourson | studio = {{ubl|STXfilms|MWM Studios}} | distributor = {{Plainlist| * Amazon Studios<br>(United States) * STX Entertainment<br>(international) }} | released = {{film date|2020|1|9|Australia|2020|6|26|United States}} | runtime = 99 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = $18 million<ref name=AprilRelease/> | gross = $10.5 million<ref name="BOM">{{cite web |title=My Spy (2020) |url= https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1778943489/ |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date= August 27, 2020}}</ref><ref name="NUM">{{cite web |title=My Spy (2020) - Financial Information |url= https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/My-Spy-(2020)#tab=summary |website=The Numbers |access-date=July 31, 2020}}</ref> }}

'''''My Spy''''' is a 2020 American action comedy film directed by Peter Segal, written by Jon and Erich Hoeber, and starring Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman in her film debut, Kristen Schaal, Parisa Fitz-Henley, and Ken Jeong. It follows a CIA agent who finds himself at the mercy of a precocious nine-year-old girl in a family that he and his tech support are surveilling while undercover.<ref name="Announcement">{{cite web |last1=Kit |first1=Borys |title='Fifty First Dates' Director Tackling Dave Bautista Action-Comedy for STX (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/fifty-first-dates-director-tackling-dave-bautista-comedy-1130803 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=July 30, 2018 |language=en |date=July 30, 2018}}</ref>

''My Spy'' was released theatrically on January 9, 2020 in Australia by STX Entertainment. On April 8, 2020, its distribution rights were purchased by Amazon Studios due to the COVID-19 pandemic having shut down theaters worldwide. It was released digitally on Amazon Prime Video and in select U.S. theatres on June 26, 2020, to mixed reviews. A sequel, ''The Eternal City'', was released in July 2024.

==Plot==  JJ is a former Army Ranger newly hired as a CIA operative. However, his lack of subtlety causes him to blow his first major mission: busting an illegal weapons-grade plutonium trade in Pripyat between the Russian mafia and Hassan, a Middle East terrorist.

Despite this, his boss David Kim assigns JJ and tech operator Bobbi, who hero-worships JJ, to keep an eye on the in-law family of Victor Marquez, a French illegal arms dealer who has obtained construction plans for a miniaturized nuclear bomb which he intends to sell to Hassan.

Victor lost these plans to his brother David, who hid them before Victor murdered him. Kim suspects they may be with David's American wife Kate and their 9-year-old daughter Sophie, who moved from France back to Wicker Park, Chicago after his death.

JJ and Bobbi move into the building where Kate and Sophie live, and set up their surveillance. However, Sophie soon finds one of their hidden cameras, backtracks its signal and stumbles upon the operation post. Confronting JJ and Bobbi, she blackmails JJ into keeping her company while she tries to fit into an American kid's life and make some new friends at her school Oaktree Charter School.

Despite JJ's social awkwardness, the two slowly begin to bond, and JJ also becomes acquainted with Kate and her neighbors Carlos and Todd. Sophie has JJ train her in the basics of the espionage trade, and brings him and her mother closer together.

However, Kim eventually finds out about JJ's personal involvement with his targets and takes him and Bobbi off the mission. JJ reveals his assignment to Kate, who rejects him in disgust. At the same time, Victor discovers and counteracts the CIA's surveillance and coerces his lawyer Koll into revealing where David might have hidden the plans.

After faking his own death, Victor travels to Chicago, confronts Kate, JJ, and Sophie and retrieves the plans. Carlos and Todd burst in and intervene, revealing themselves as independent arms dealers who are also after the plans. Bobbi's clumsy attempt to help results in Victor escaping with the plans and Sophie as his hostage.

JJ and Kate pursue Victor to an airfield in Naperville, where JJ grounds Victor's escape plane and starts a fistfight with him. In her attempt to escape, Sophie accidentally sets the plane in motion, leaving it hanging at the edge of a cliff on some wire fencing. Victor forces Sophie, who has hidden the real plans, to surrender them. Before he can shoot them, Kate clubs him onto the fence and JJ pushes the plane off the cliff, sending Victor to his death.

After being reinstated by Kim for his success, JJ has himself permanently assigned to Chicago, where he moves in with Kate and Sophie.

==Cast==

* Dave Bautista as J.J., a CIA agent tasked with surveilling Sophie's mother in hopes of locating her criminal brother-in-law * Chloe Coleman as Sophie, a nine-year-old elementary school girl who blackmails J.J. into training her to be a spy * Kristen Schaal as Bobbi, J.J.'s tech specialist * Parisa Fitz-Henley as Kate, Sophie's mother * Ken Jeong as David Kim, J.J.'s boss at the CIA * Devere Rogers as Carlos, Sophie's gay neighbor * Greg Bryk as Victor Marquez * Ali Hassan as Azar * Noah Danby as Todd, Carlos' partner * Nicola Correia-Damude as Christina, J.J.'s fellow agent at the CIA

==Production== [[File:Mel Lastman Square in North York during filming (30567209867).jpg|thumb|right|Filming at Mel Lastman Square in October 2018.]]

On October 5, 2017, it was reported that STX Entertainment had finalized a deal to develop a then-untitled action-comedy film starring Dave Bautista. Bautista was also expected to produce the film with Jonathan Meisner, with Drew Simon overseeing the project for the studio.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fleming |first1=Mike Jr. |title=STX To Build Star Vehicle For 'Blade Runner 2049's Dave Bautista |url=https://deadline.com/2017/10/dave-bautista-stx-action-comedy-franchise-guardians-of-the-galaxy-blade-runner-2049-1202182825/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=January 8, 2019 |language=en |date=October 5, 2017}}</ref>

On July 30, 2018, it was announced that the first film in the planned series, now titled ''My Spy'', would be directed by Peter Segal from a screenplay by Jon and Erich Hoeber.<ref name="Announcement"/> In October 2018, it was announced that Ken Jeong, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Chloe Coleman and Kristen Schaal had joined the cast. It was also announced that Segal, Chris Bender, Jake Weiner, and Gigi Pritzker would be the producers; the Hoebers, Michael Flynn, Rachel Shane, and Adrian Alperovich would executive-produce; and Stacy Calabrese would be a co-producer. MWM Studios also joined the film as an additional production company.<ref>{{cite web |last1=N'Duka |first1=Amanda |title='My Spy': Ken Jeong, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Chloe Coleman Join Dave Bautista-Led Movie At STX |url=https://deadline.com/2018/10/my-spy-ken-jeong-parisa-fitz-henley-chloe-coleman-dave-bautista-stx-1202484337/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=October 18, 2018 |date=October 17, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=N'Duka |first1=Amanda |title='The Last Man on Earth's Kristen Schaal Joins Dave Bautista In 'My Spy' Movie |url=https://deadline.com/2018/10/the-last-man-on-earth-kristen-schaal-dave-bautista-my-spy-movie-1202485687/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=October 19, 2018 |date=October 19, 2018}}</ref>

Principal photography commenced on October 15, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and concluded on November 30.<ref>{{cite web |title=Current Productions {{!}} IATSE 873 |url= https://www.iatse873.com/current_productions |website=IATSE 873 |access-date=October 18, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181018175022/https://www.iatse873.com/current_productions |archive-date=October 18, 2018 }}</ref> The skating sequence was shot at Mel Lastman Square, and the runway sequence at Markham Airport.

==Release== The film was originally scheduled for a theatrical release on August 23, 2019,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/chadwick-boseman-russo-bros-actioner-21-bridges-moves-to-fall-as-stx-sets-dave-bautistas-my-spy-for-summer-1202616670/|title=Chadwick Boseman-Russo Bros Actioner '21 Bridges' Moves To Fall As STX Sets Dave Bautista's 'My Spy' For Summer|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Erik|last=Pederson|date=May 16, 2019|access-date=May 16, 2019}}</ref> but it was pushed back to an undisclosed 2020 date on July 10, 2019.<ref name="var-2020">{{cite web |last= Donnelly |first= Matt |title= Dave Bautista's STX Comedy 'My Spy' Pushed to 2020 |url= https://variety.com/2019/film/news/dave-bautista-my-spy-pushed-2020-stx-1203264093/ |work= Variety |access-date= July 11, 2019 |date= July 10, 2019}}</ref> After then being set for a January release and moved, it was pushed back yet again on March 7 (just a week before its scheduled March 13 release) to April 17.<ref name=AprilRelease>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/stx-moving-my-spy-back-to-april-17-from-march-release-date-1202876805/|title=STX Moving 'My Spy' Back To April 17 From March Release Date|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Bruce|last=Haring|date=March 7, 2020|access-date=March 7, 2020|archive-date=March 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327223216/https://deadline.com/2020/03/stx-moving-my-spy-back-to-april-17-from-march-release-date-1202876805/|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was then pulled from the schedule due to movie theater closures since mid-March because of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

On April 8, 2020, Amazon Studios acquired the film's distribution rights.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/04/my-spy-acquired-by-amazon-studios-stx-dave-bautista-1202903723/|title='My Spy': STX Dave Bautista Action Comedy Acquired By Amazon Studios For Streaming|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|date=April 8, 2020|access-date=April 8, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://deadline.com/2020/06/my-spy-dave-bautista-amazon-prime-release-date-1202957758/ |title='My Spy': STX Dave Bautista Action Comedy To Stream On Amazon Prime By Month's End |website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|date=June 12, 2020|access-date=June 12, 2020}}</ref> It was released digitally on Amazon Prime Video, as well as in select Cineplex Entertainment and Landmark Cinemas, and drive-in theaters, on June 26, 2020.<ref name=cineplex>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cineplex.com/Movie/my-spy|title=My Spy|website=cineplex.com|access-date=July 2, 2020}}</ref><ref name=landmarkcinemas>{{Cite web|url=https://www.landmarkcinemas.com/film-info/my-spy|title=My Spy|website=landmarkcinemas.com|access-date=July 2, 2020}}</ref> It made an estimated $107,000 from 104 theaters in its second weekend of domestic release (for a North American running total of $307,000).<ref name=DeadlineGrosses>{{Cite web|url= https://deadline.com/2020/07/ghostbusters-sony-independence-day-box-office-relic-spider-man-far-from-home-1202978592/ |title= Sony Wins Again At The Independence Day Box Office, This Year With The Reissue Of 1984's 'Ghostbusters' |first= Anthony |last= D'Alessandro |website= Deadline Hollywood|date=July 6, 2020|access-date=July 6, 2020}}</ref> In November, ''Variety'' reported it was the third-most watched straight-to-streaming title of 2020 up to that point.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bridge |first=Gavin |date= November 4, 2020 |url= https://variety.com/vip/data-borat-2-second-only-to-hamilton-in-most-watched-u-s-svod-movies-of-2020-1234823177/ |title= DATA: 'BORAT 2' SECOND ONLY TO 'HAMILTON' IN MOST-WATCHED U.S. SVOD MOVIES OF 2020 |website= Variety |access-date=November 4, 2020}}</ref>

It was released on January 9, 2020 in Australia.<ref>{{cite web|title=My Spy (2020)|url=https://villagecinemas.com.au/movies/my-spy/}}</ref> Despite the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, it was released in the UK on March 13, 2020 without any alteration.<ref>{{cite web|title=Watch My Spy at Vue Cinema|url=https://www.myvue.com/film/my-spy|website=Vue Cinemas|access-date=March 12, 2020|archive-date=August 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812130630/https://www.myvue.com/film/my-spy|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Home media=== ''My Spy'' was released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 27, 2020 in Canada.<ref>{{cite web|title=My Spy is released on Dvd and Bluray | date=October 27, 2020 |url=https://www.amazon.ca/My-Spy-Dave-Bautista/dp/B085WQX85F/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=my+spy+dvd&qid=1607790211&s=pc&sr=1-1|access-date=December 12, 2020}}</ref>

==Reception== On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} based on 127 reviews, with an average rating of 5/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "''My Spy'' plugs Dave Bautista into the 'charismatic action star meets cute kid' formula, with generally painless albeit decidedly mediocre results."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/my_spy|title=My Spy (2020)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}}</ref> On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 46 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.metacritic.com/movie/my-spy |title= My Spy Reviews |publisher= Metacritic |access-date= June 26, 2020 }}</ref>

Ben Travis of ''Empire'' magazine gave the film 2 out of 5, and wrote: "This big-spy-meets-little-kid comedy isn't funny enough for teens, but not really suitable for younger viewers either."<ref>{{cite web |date= March 11, 2020 |first= Ben |last= Travis |title = My Spy review|url= https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/my-spy/ |website= Empire|access-date=March 14, 2020}}</ref> Kate Erbland of ''IndieWire'' gave the film a "C−" and wrote: "Saddled with a baffling PG-13 rating — the film's violence is muted, but a decision was made to throw in frequent profanity, plus the repetitive use of an un-edited version of Cardi B's 'I Like It' — ''My Spy'' seems destined to both alienate kids and turn off adults."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Erbland|first1=Kate|title= 'My Spy' Review: Dave Bautista's Requisite Cute Kid Movie Is a Humorless Misfire |url= https://www.indiewire.com/2020/06/my-spy-review-dave-bautista-kid-movie-1202215478/ |access-date=June 24, 2020 |work=IndieWire |date=June 26, 2020}}</ref>

Writing for ''Variety'', Richard Kuipers called it a "mildly amusing family comedy" and said that Segal "generates an amiable atmosphere in domestic scenes and gets solid performances from a cast that's given some good and some not-so-good material to work with."<ref>{{cite web |date=June 14, 2020 |last= Kuipers |first= Richard |title= 'My Spy': Film Review |url= https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/my-spy-review-1234632818/ |work= Variety|access-date=June 25, 2020}}</ref>

==Sequel== {{Main|My Spy: The Eternal City}} In August 2020, it was announced that Amazon and STX were in discussions for a sequel, with the intention of Segal and the cast all returning.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://deadline.com/2020/08/my-spy-2-1203009565/ |title= 'My Spy 2' Being Explored By STX & Amazon Studios |date=August 11, 2020|website= Deadline Hollywood|access-date=August 20, 2020}}</ref> In January 2023, Bautista confirmed that a sequel was being filmed, with filming taking place in South Africa and Italy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Rourke |first=Ryan |date=2023-01-31 |title=Dave Bautista Confirms His Next Project is a Sequel to 'My Spy' |url=https://collider.com/dave-bautista-my-spy-2-comments/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Collider |language=en}}</ref><ref>[https://screenrant.com/my-spy-2-movie-dave-bautista-filming-update/ "Dave Bautista Confirms My Spy 2 Filming Wrap In Venice"]. ''Screen Rant''. May 3, 2023.</ref> The sequel, called My Spy: The Eternal City, was released 2024.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb title}}

Category:2020 action comedy films Category:Amazon MGM Studios films Category:STX Entertainment films Category:American action comedy films Category:2020 English-language films Category:English-language action comedy films Category:Films about the Central Intelligence Agency Category:Films directed by Peter Segal Category:Films produced by Dave Bautista Category:Films produced by Robert Simonds Category:Films scored by Dominic Lewis Category:Films set in Berlin Category:Films set in Chernobyl (city) Category:Films set in Chicago Category:Films set in Paris Category:Films set in Virginia Category:Films set in Washington, D.C. Category:Films shot in Toronto Category:2020 American films Category:Films impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic