“Johnny English” (essentially “Mr. Bean Becomes a Secret Agent”) is everything that you would expect from a Rowan Atkinson spy film. When a bomb blows up all of England’s competent MI7 agents, the only agent left alive is Johnny English. Few things go right during his missions throughout the film and when they do, it is usually by accident. Even though Atkinson is best known for his classic Mr. Bean character, I think that his physical comedy is even funnier when paired with his dry delivery of dialogue. Plus, there are several moments when you can’t help but picture Zazu from “The Lion King” delivering the lines! From his fight with an imaginary assailant to his slurred dialogue after accidentally drugging himself , Atkinson’s comedic genius breathes life into this otherwise run of the mill spy parody. One of the most unexpected pieces of this puzzle is that Natalie Imbruglia is a surprisingly good actress. I assumed that her fame began and ended with her one-hit wonder song "Torn" but after seeing her act, I would love to see her in more films. I also have to throw John Malkovich’s name out there because he always makes a great villain! I appreciated the use of Handel’s “Zadok the Priest” to give the coronation scene a sense of authenticity and Robbie Williams’ song “A Man for All Seasons” left me in a great mood during the ending credits. The critics may not have liked “Johnny English” but this goofball spy parody is an enjoyable break from dramatic movies that take themselves too seriously.
[Pictured: Nothing odd happens in this movie.]
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