Story
My Spy begins in the Ukraine where tough CIA agent JJ (Dave Bautista) is on a mission to capture crime syndicate leader Victor Marquez (Greg Bryk). JJ manages to take out the enemy, however, at the same time he also kills all of his own team and Victor manages to escape. JJ is recalled to Langley where he is put on surveillance duties watching Kate (Parisa Fitz-Henley) and her nine year old daughter Sophie (Chloe Coleman). Kate has recently moved to the US from France after her husband David, Victor's brother and fellow criminal, was killed. The CIA believes Kate might still be in contact with her brother-in-law although it is known that they hated each other.
Sophie is having difficulty adjusting to her new school and classmates, who tease her for being different. However, Sophie is a smart girl and, when she discovers a spy camera in her apartment, she goes looking for the agents. Sophie outwits JJ and his assistant Bobbi (Kristen Schaal) and blackmails them into using them to her advantage. JJ must accompany Sophie to school for ‘special persons' day’ and Sophie soon becomes more accepted by her peers. She also blackmails JJ into teaching her how to become a spy as this is what she wants to be when she grows up. The two end up becoming best of unlikely friends and JJ also falls for Sophie’s Mum, Kate. However, JJ and Sophie end up in a perilous state when Victor returns and kidnaps Sophie.
Themes
CIA; Spying; Single parenting; Crime syndicates.
Violence
My Spy has a lot of violence, including several realistic gun battles, car chases and explosions. For example:
- Armed with machine guns, JJ and his team arrive at a location where an international arms deal is happening. A man pulls a gun on JJ who then shoots a gas canister. This explodes and a shoot-out follows. JJ throws hand grenades and men are seen flying through the air (no-one is actually seen dead or injured).
- Boys shove Sophie aside when entering a school bus.
- JJ is shown video footage of David being shot in his car.
- Bobbi throws a knife over her shoulder which stabs JJ in the leg. Bobbi immediately throws up.
- JJ goes skating with Sophie and falls over badly on the ice. Some boys push Sophie over so JJ trips them up.
- Kate kicks JJ in the groin.
- JJ tells Kate and Sophie that when he was in Afghanistan and short of food, he killed some lizards by bashing their heads in with rocks before cooking them.
- Sophie deliberately knocks JJ's fishbowl over and his pet fish struggles to survive.
- Victor grabs a man by the throat.
- JJ saves a small bird and lifts it up onto a bin. A large bird of prey swoops down and captures it.
- The CIA raids a place where Victor is meeting with another criminal. There's another shoot out and loud explosions. Multiple bodies are said to have been found (not shown).
- JJ is hit on the head by Victor. David has a knife in his hand and has come to Kate's apartment to find information on a nuclear weapon, which Victor had in his possession. They are interrupted by another couple of agents, neighbours Carlos and Todd, who also want the information. Bobbi clumsily drops a machine gun which fires through the building. She then throws grenades. David escapes taking Sophie with him by force.
- Kate and JJ madly chase after Victor in her car, knocking over a motor cyclist in the process. Kate crashes into a fence.
- JJ confronts an oncoming plane with a large knife which he uses to slash the plane's tyres. The plane drives over him and swerves into the fuel tanker which springs a leak. Victor and JJ face each other with guns, then they punch each other. Victor is getting the upper hand when Kate arrives and bashes him over the head.
Sexual references
My Spy has some sexual references. For example:
- Sophie refers to Bobbi as 'JJ's Lesbian friend'.
- JJ questions Bobbi over placing cameras in the bathroom and asks what kind of a pervert would do that.
- All of the women at school, including the female teacher, admire JJ’s muscular physique.
- A character mentions a prostitute.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
My Spy contains some use of substances. For example:
- Characters drink wine with a meal at home and in a restaurant
- a character mentions the drug crack
- characters smoke cigarettes.
Nudity and sexual activity
There is a scene in My Spy in which Kate and JJ kiss.
Product placement
Product placement in My Spy includes Doritos and Cheerios.
Coarse language
My Spy contains some coarse language.
Ideas to discuss with your children
My Spy is a comedy/action movie with non-stop action. The violence is real and not tamed down for children, however there is no blood and gore or depictions of dead people. This movie is also quite intense in parts and with frequent coarse language, therefore, it is not suitable for children under 12 but is likely to appeal to teens and adults.
The main messages from this movie are not to judge people by their appearances and that people are not all good or bad but a mixture of both.
Values in this movie that parents may wish to reinforce with their children include:
- It is ok to be smart and independent, like Sophie.
- Don’t judge – JJ is soft at heart although he looks like a tough guy.
This movie could also give parents the opportunity to discuss with their children attitudes and behaviours, and their real-life consequences, such as:
- Sophie allows JJ into her and her mother's life without really knowing him. This is not a good example of how to treat strangers. Fortunately, JJ turns out to be a nice person but this is not always the case.