Review by James Lindorf
From Director Drew Mylrea, Spy Intervention stars Drew Van Acker (Pretty Little Liars) as Corey Gage, the world’s greatest spy. While out a mission, Corey met the love of his life, Pam Grayson, played by Poppy Delevingne (Kingsman: The Golden Circle.) Trading his life as a spy, Corey enters the world of domestic bliss, a steady 9-5, weekly trips to the hardware store, and lots of talk of having friends over. As the honeymoon phase is coming to an end, Corey’s old partner, Blake Anderson (Workaholics), comes to him with an offer to capture the villain who got away. Corey must choose between saving the world and saving his marriage. If he isn’t too rusty, maybe he can do both. Rounding out the cast are Brittany Furlan (We Are Your Friends), Max Silvestri (Table 19), Natasha Bassett (Hail, Caesar!), Brian Sacca (The Wolf of Wall Street), Dave Sheridan (Scary Movie), and Lane Garrison (Shooter). Spy Intervention will be available on major VOD platforms starting Valentine’s Day.
Producer Sunil Perkash (Salt, Enchanted) isn’t a stranger to big-budget films where money can solve most of the problems that come up during production. Perkash and first-time feature-length Director Mylrea didn’t have that luxury or that burden on this film. When the amount of money dedicated to a project increases, so do the expectations. Not just about how well it will perform at the box office but how the film will look. Nothing but the latest and greatest special effects are expected for a 250-million-dollar movie like James Bond’s latest outing No Time to Die. When the team set out to design the look of Spy Intervention, they knew they would have a modest budget, and they wanted to have a plan. The settled on blending the modern with the classic in every aspect from set design to cinematography.
The sets and props of the spy world are obvious fakes, but the way they are presented and how the cast interacts with them is the crucial factor. The actors all treat it like it is perfectly natural, and they are not played directly for laughs. Sure, when it looks like they are on the set of a play, using an obvious miniature or you swear the strings are still attached, it can be humorous. Still, it can also pull at the nostalgia strings tied to your affection for spy films of the 60s. The most significant change from Corey’s ordinary life to his spy mission is the aspect ratio that it is presented. Corey’s home life is shown in standard 16:9 ratio, which will fit your widescreen tv perfectly. His missions, however, are shown in 4:3, cutting off the edges like TV in the ’80s and ’90s. Mylrea and cinematographer Danny Grunes also played with the lighting and coloring of scenes for a little added flair.
In a romantic spy comedy keeping the right tone falls heavily on the shoulders of the cast. Avy Kaufman was in charge of casting and was especially successful with the addition of Poppy Delevingne. Though she may not be as well known as her younger sister Cara, Poppy may be the superior actor. Poppy handles the comedic scenes well but excels in the film’s dramatic moments. You believe in the fear, anger, and self-doubt that she experiences as she begins to question Corey’s recent behavior. Drew Van Acker is probably best known for his role on the CW show Pretty Little Liars, which isn’t always known for stretching your acting ability. While he may not be as good as Poppy, he does handle himself well. Drew projects the image of a secret agent who would be more at home in the world of Kingsman with their attitude and comedic bend than he would be working with James Bond. Drew was at his best when he was sharing the screen with Poppy, which I good because it is the central relationship, but it does take away a bit from the spy scenes. Natasha Bassett, who plays Corey’s spy wife Alexandria, brought energy and a lot of charisma to her scenes that wanted more of every time she was off-screen.
Drew Mylrea, along with writers Mark Famiglietti and Lane Garrison, did an excellent job walking the tightrope between heartfelt romantic story and a spy-themed action-comedy. While watching, you can’t help to compare it to movies like True Lies or This Means War, and while it may not have the budget of either of those projects, it does have heart, and it does have character. While it may not reach the peaks of True Lies, there are good odds that those who see Spy Intervention will want to introduce their friends and family to it, and it won’t be quickly forgotten.
