I never saw the original, or at least I don’t remember it, except for the “missed it by…” line, but my husband and I saw it and thought it was hilarious. The bathroom scene was one of my least favorites, but I loved the scene where he empathized with the Easter Island head man. It seemed to be where he put aside the CONTROL guidelines and put his own ideals into practice. This movie made me like Steve Carrell more than anything else I’ve seen him in.
I only vaguely remembered the original series from when I was a kid, but my 11yo son and I saw the movie tonight and really liked it. Anne Hathaway was smokin’ hawt, of course, and very funny. The two nerds at CONTROL were funny (esp. when pretending to be overpowered by Smart). The Rock and Alan Arkin both did a great job in their roles, I thought. Arkin going over the table to attack the VP was great (“C’mon! I got a new pacemaker, I can go all day!”). Smart’s dance with the fat lady - and the servants helping her up to her feet at the end - was very funny. The fight scene on the speeding SUV on the highway and the railroad was actually pretty exciting.
I missed exactly what the little kid in the classroom said to the President…?
I don’t remember it verbatim but something along the lines of “You’d be a terrible teacher” in response to the president’s story reading.
Watched it last night on DVD. Could have been utterly wretched, instead it was sweet natured, and huge fun. Great casting: Steve Carell was perfect as Maxwell Smart, although Anne Hathaway ain’t Barbara Feldon, and the right mix of homage and update without abandoning or distorting the original “feel” - for instance by casting Jim Carrey or Martin Lawrence…
Laughed out loud at the Department Of Home Security’s telephone voice menu: “For a threat to the continental United States, press one. For a threat to Hawaii, press two. For a threat to Puerto Rico…”, and found the political gags surprisingly pointed: James Caan made a great lowbrow halfwit President.
Get Smart has been on ON DEMAND for a couple of days, so we bought it.
I’ve watched it four times in 24 hours. Being unemployed and working on knitting projects has its perks.
It could be a good family film it it weren’t for an occassional use of swearing ( primarily the scene with Alan Arkin in the car and the swordfish. which cracked us up and we had to tell the kids they were not allowed to repeat any of that. There was another one sentance scene in the beginning that had “whore” in it that I know the kids missed, but it could have been easily replaced with something else.
We ( Mr. Ujest and I) both felt that it was done ok. Not Great. Not Bad. A good first effort. It was a bit jerky, not settling into itself until after the factory explosion scene. It was like they had to hit all the cliche’s and familiarness that made everyone like Get Smart in the series before they could really get traction in it.
I thought Steve Carroll did a fine job and I especially liked the dancing scene. I was rather concerned that when he asked the fat lady to dance it was going to really poke fun of her size and it wasn’t at all. Tastefully done and all in good fun.
Anne Hathaway did fine as well, though I didn’t really care for her at all. I wish she could have really shown what a super spy was about that made Maxwell Smart GUSH over her work when they first meet and maybe spoke russian or something. Or at least have Maxwell smart speak it like he is spose to as he is an analyst. ( He did a few throw away lines, but it was nothing impressive.) Yeah, I know it is a comedy, but c’mon. she did kick some fine ass in heels.
I personally liked the two geeks ( Bruce and Lloyd) who did their parts very well.
Dwayne Johnson is really carving himself a niche in the Family Film flicks lately. He didn’t disappoint at all. ( God, he is so farking handsome!)
It is definately one to watch for fun and it didn’t disappoint.
Also saw it yesterday for the first time through On Demand. Really enjoyed it. Anne Hathaway is so gorgeous who cares what she does, and she is certainly passable in light roles like 99.
I really liked when Bill Murray popped up in the tree cameo.
When he first was there, I thought he was Colin Macerie ( the guy from Whose line is it anyway?)
I agree with most of this. I definately thought it was terrible. Steve Carell wasn’t Maxwell Smart, he was Michael Scott. Or, at best, Michael Scarn: secret agent. I was really disappointed with his performance. I actually liked The Rock pretty well, though, and I thought he had a couple of funny lines. He seems to be a pretty decent comedic actor. Overall, it was disappointing and forgettable.