ninme

Fox 411 - ‘Get Smart’ Misses by That Much

But it’s also been considerably dumbed down. There is a coarseness to the material that should make director Peter Segal and his two screenwriters a little embarrassed. In order to pitch the new “Get Smart” to idiot 12-year-olds, they let one person denounce another as a “douche” and another as a “d—-wad.” It’s very, very sad.

Morons.

Because all the people who said “Get Smart!? I loved that show!” are idiot 12-year-olds and all the people who have no money and won’t care one way or the other are the people my age (Nick at Night, baby) and up.

I guess Segal and co. didn’t think an actual comedy/satire would work, so they went for something in between. There are lots of explosions and chases — wasted, wasted money, considering that the lighting and sound are deficient in many scenes.

I guess “sly” is not possible in a world of lowered expectations, so broad and dull are the easy replacements. Constant references to Ryan Seacrest are just completely idiotic. And a big long plug for Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles is simply weird.

That brings me to Steve Carell, whom I adore in most cases, as Maxwell Smart. He can’t be Don Adams, but he tries really hard to find that sweet spot. He’s almost got it, and he looks the part. Anne Hathaway is much too young to play 99 against Carell, so they explain that she’s had plastic surgery and has been “de-aged” somehow. Whatever. In the series, the dynamic between Max and 99 was that 99 adored Max, who was dim and self-possessed. He barely noticed her devotion. She saved him from himself. They were charming.

In this version, 99 mostly rebuffs Max and considers him her inferior. He’s not sure if she’s right, and is willing to concede his worst points. I guess this is a formula. The contemporary audience may swallow it. But Hathaway, who is fine, doesn’t have the mature sensuality of Barbara Feldon, and the couple feels out of balance.

sob

Seriously, if they don’t like the original show, why can’t they just leave it alone?