Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd were at the height of their professional careers with the 80's "masterpiece" Spies Like Us. The cast alone makes this movie a triumph the 80's comedy. Although the same cast today would find itself on the video shelf and not the movie theaters, for the mid 80's this was a GIANT of a Hollywood cast. Second to only Doctor Strangelove, what other comedy is funnier when dealing with American / Russian relations during the cold war? Chevy and Aykroyd have terrific chemistry together that has been molded to perfection from their success on Saturday Night Live. The physical comedy in the first half of the movie is as funny as any Marx Brother film of its time. The comical situations that occur in the second half are as funny as any Blake Edwards production. Together, the movie is as funny as it gets for the 1980's.
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caspian19782 March 2005
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utgard1421 June 2014Two inept CIA recruits (Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd) are chosen to act as decoy spies while the real spies complete a top secret mission, only the two don't know they aren't real spies. Hilarious Cold War comedy from John Landis in the tradition of the classic Hope & Crosby 'Road' movies. Despite some swearing and sexy parts (mild by Landis standards), this is a very old school type of comedy. The jokes come from putting two top comedians in funny situations and letting them cut loose. Aykroyd and Chase have perfect chemistry and timing. It's a shame that, unlike Hope & Crosby, they didn't do more than one movie like this. There's a great mix of verbal and physical comedy here. Lots of memorable lines and scenes. Love the music, too. A must for fans of Landis or the two stars. I would recommend it to fans of the old Road movies, as well.
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CuriosityKilledShawn13 February 2010I first saw Spies Like Us when I was a kid, when Chevy Chase was my favourite actor. I must have seen it about fifty times since then and I am almost word-perfect on the script. However, I've never owned the DVD since Warner have never released it in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Thankfully it is currently available in HD on the PlayStation network.
Emmett Fitz-Hume and Austin Millbarge (Chase and Aykroyd) are two lowly government workers who are suddenly promoted to the elite GLG-20 spy status after they are caught cheating on a test. What they don't know is that they are just decoys to draw heat away from the real spies and are promptly dumped straight into enemy territory.
Chase and Aykroyd have great chemistry together and I'm surprised they didn't work together much after this (although they did hook up for The Couch Trip, Caddyshack 2 and Nothing But Trouble). There's loads of fun to had in watching them bumble from one zany situation from the next. And, as this is a Landis film, there are director cameos all over the place. Keep a lookout for Terry Gilliam, Martin Brest, Joel Coen, Sam Raimi etc.
Despite the fanbase, Warner have never showed this film any respect or given special treatment of any kind when it comes to the home video market. As I already said, as of yet the only DVD available is the fullscreen version from 1998. Even the HD version I watched was from a very murky print and has terrible sound. If Warner make a Blu Ray from this master it's still not worth buying.
Give it a rent unless a proper remaster is done. Which is unlikely. -
I'm surprised this movie isn't higher rated. No, it's not "Lawrence of Arabia" but not every movie has to be "artistically respectable". Just look at the names of the two main characters, Emmett Fitz-Hume and Austin Milbarge, and you know what you're in for.
Aykroyd and Chase are hilarious and this movie is a laugh a minute. Yes, there are dumb jokes, slapstick humor, ridiculous scenarios and odd cameos (doctor? doctor?)...But that's what's great about it, you just turn your brain off and take it in.
I've seen this movie a hundred times and could watch it a hundred more, I guess it's one of those "love it or hate it" things. But "we mock what we don't understand". -
gavin69421 August 2016Two bumbling government employees (Aykroyd and Chase) think they are American spies, only to discover that they are actually decoys for Nuclear War.
"Spies Like Us" was met with mixed to negative reviews at the time of its 1985 release, though it has since been viewed more favorably and has developed something of a cult following in the years since. I cannot imagine this getting a negative review, though I understand why it might be mixed. This is obviously not the funniest comedy from either Aykroyd or Chase.
I suppose the popularity has grown because there is something about 80s comedies that can't be replicated. Some would say a second-rate 80s comedy is better than many since then. Even if Aykroyd and Chase starred in something now (2016), it would come nowhere near the possibility it had then. -
SnoopyStyle27 November 2015Ruby and Keyes have a covert operation to hijack a Soviet nuclear missile launcher. General Sline suggests sending two decoy agents along with the real agents on the mission. Emmett Fitzhume (Chevy Chase) is a womanizing schemer taking the foreign service board exam. Brilliant code-breaker Austin Millbarge (Dan Aykroyd) is working in the basement under a sleazy boss who doesn't tell him about the exam until the last minute. Millbarge joins Fitzhume in his rampant cheating. They are caught and to their surprise, they are brought into the advance program. They are generally incompetent in training and sent to Afganistan. They are picked up by two agents who turn out to be Soviets. They escape and find Dr. Hadley who mistakes them for fellow doctors. Dr. Boyer (Donna Dixon) is part of the medical team working with the Afghan resistance.
It is completely stupid as a story. When Bob Hope walks into the tent in the middle of Afghanistan looking for his golf ball, the silly tone is irreversible. This relies on the strengths of Chase and Aykroyd. Chevy Chase acts like an ass and makes this funny. Aykroyd is a great neurotic sidekick without being annoying. They combine for a fun duo. -
grantss13 May 2016A bit hit-and-miss but works, mostly.
Two low-level government employees, Emmitt Fitz-Hume (played by Chevy Chase) and Austin Milbarge (Dan Aykroyd), are chosen for a top- secret CIA mission. They are unsuitable as CIA agents but are deliberately chosen for this reason, as their mission is a decoy one and they are expendable. After being fast-tracked through training they are parachuted into Pakistan where all manner of adventures await them.
Quite funny at times, but also very silly at times. Plot is pretty basic and some of the sub-plots are plain stupid. However, for the most part, it works.
The main reason for this is Chevy Chase. He gets some great lines and delivers them perfectly. Dan Aykroyd is fine as the straight man but it is Chevy Chase that makes the movie watchable.
Another positive is the pace of the movie. It is quite frenetic, so even if a scene is a dead end, it is over quickly and we move onto the next scene. The pace helps to cover up the blemishes.
Not a must-see, but there are worse ways to spend 100 or so minutes. -
Mr-Fusion29 September 2016"Spies Like Us" kicks off with some great promise, but stalls out in the third act. Once Chase and Aykroyd actually get to Russia, the eccentric road movie gives way to WWIII farce that just doesn't click. That's kinda disappointing (and as John Landis' sweet '80s run goes, it's a middling effort), but even when it fizzles, it's still the good0natured brand of stupid.
That said, it's fun spotting the director cameos, and there are some good jokes here. Plus, the exam and surgery scenes are classic. My dad's been using the "Doctor. Doctor. Doctor." routine since for decades. It's not "Trading Places", but it's also no "Into the Night".
6/10 -
flatworlder25 February 2006I bought the DVD of this movie for six dollars. Best deal on a movie I've ever seen. Having been raised in the 90's I missed out on many of those fantastic 80's films. Dan and Chevy really make the movie work. Very few actors could have taken a movie with as little plot as Spies Like Us and turned into a funny soup bowl full of laughs. One more thing, perhaps the funniest scene in any movie happens early on. Where Chevy Chase is cheating on the test...Priceless. If you like over-the-top government action, with hilarious scenes and horrible attempts to hit on beautiful women. You'll love this movie.
If not...Then you need to take a moment to look at your life, relax, and just enjoy something every once in a while. -
This saw the first pairing of comedians Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd (who later appear in 'Caddyshack II and 'Nothing but Trouble') in a John Landis successfully directed espionage/ Cold War comedy. What a choice of three to bring out the laughs, but I never found it to be the laugh riot that I was hoping. In the end it's a randomly transfixing buddy comedy in the vein of a Bob Hope/ Bing Crosby film (which the former has a sudden cameo in) that has two clueless undercover operatives used as foils to distract KGB from the actual operatives with an assignment. Landis loves his self-knowing, referential gags and Chase's dry style feels suitably catered to this, and Aykroyd complements the balance with his light touches. The timing is always on the mark. Plus let's not forget about the cameos of pals in for the fun including Frank Oz, Joel Coen, Sam Raimi, B.B King, Terry Gilliam, Martin Brest, Larry Cohen and Ray Harryhausen. Rounding off the entertaining performances was the beautiful Donna Dixon, larger than life Steve Forest, a sneaky Bruce Davison, slimly Jim Staahl and an attractive Vanessa Angel.
The humour ranges from slapstick shtick to comically witty exchanges (Chase's often quick replies) and deadpan acts, as the equipped story is a comedy of errors led by two hapless individuals which would end up saving the day in an unlikely manner. It's a fairly amusing and offbeat concept, as it holds surprises, its fast momentum never lets it sit too long on the one gag. There such a variety to the comic silliness and it goes out on a bang. The crystal clear European locations are exquisitely used in shots, and adds considerably well to the large-scale adventure directed by verve from Landis.
Landis would team up again with Chevy Chase a year later to bring us the even better '¡Three Amigos!' that would also star Steve Martin and Martin Short.
On a need to know basis good dashing, systematic fun. -
gcd708 November 2007John Landis combines with funny men Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd to bring us a rather silly film about two misfit secret service men who are assigned a very dangerous mission. In fact, unbeknown to them, they are decoys who have been thrown to the wolves.
Our two leads do manage to create some funny moments, but they never really hit top gear in a movie which is consistently average. Both Aykroyd and Chase have been better, and both have had better material to work with I'm sure.
Look out for a very funny cameo from one of the world's most loved entertainers. A definite highlight.
Friday, April 30, 1993 - T.V. -
PatriotsReign27 July 2005For Chevy Chase fans, this film displays one of his vintage performances---right up there with a couple of his "Vacation" films and "Fletch." He and Dan Aykroyd form a great comedic duo with great chemistry that will leave you wanting for more.
The setting changes rapidly from DC, to Pakistan, to the former Soviet Union. Chase and Aykroyd are identified as expendable Department of State personnel, and therefore trained as covert agent decoys and tasked with an ultra top-secret mission deep inside Soviet territory. The newly appointed agent/spies don't realize they're decoys, but rather, think they're real agents on a real mission. Good stuff.
Together, their bumbling antics throughout agent training and their top-secret mission are good for steady laughs from beginning to end, as they find themselves playing the "accidental hero" role charged with saving the world.
Very scenic locations, some decent special effects (for the mid-80's), and some serious plot-twists amidst the silly humor enables "Spies Like Us" to hold the viewer's attention in-between comedic situations. -
kevin_robbins22 June 2022Spies Like Us (1985) is a movie in my DVD collection that I recently watched for the first time in a long time on Tubi. The storyline follows two agents who flunked their spy exams. Government leaders feel these two are the perfect stooges to send over enemy lines and distract the Russians while the real spies are sent in to accomplish a top secret mission. When the real spies fail can the dummy spies succeed?
This movie is directed by John Landis (The Blues Brothers) and stars Chevy Chase (National Lampoon's Vacation), Dan Aykroyd (Ghostbusters), Heidi Sorenson (Fright Night), Frank Oz (The Muppets) and Bernie Casey (Revenge of the Nerds).
While the comedic content is inconsistent, Chase and Aykroyd are awesome and play off each other perfectly. I will say every joke that involves the male genitalia is outstanding and the training scenes are hilarious. I adore the autopsy scene every time I see it also. The final shootout is well done and unpredictable. The Russian snow bunnies are gorgeous and Sorenson is fire. The premise is unique and a fun addition to the comedic genre.
Overall this is far from Chase and Aykroyd's best work but it is still entertaining and worthwhile. I would score this a 6-6.5/10 and recommend seeing it once. -
As the title implies, "Spies Like Us" (1985) is a globe-trotting spy comedy with Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd. There's a host of peripheral stars, like William Prince and the always excellent Bernie Casey, not to mention a cameo by none other than Bob Hope.
This is a fun movie and it's great to see Chase and Aykroyd when they were so young, the latter with a quintessential 80's haircut. The best highlights are the awesome globe-spanning locations and the two female co-stars, Donna Dixon and Vanessa Angel, but not enough is done with 'em. The film's just not funny enough and it's hard to believe the producers went to such great expense, but failed to hire writers who knew how to do comedy. We're left with a fun, but throwaway flick; even Hope's cameo is a waste of celluloid.
The film runs 102 minutes and was shot in Norway, Morocco, California and England.
GRADE: C -
tskerese24 February 2003I loved this movie growing up, and it is one that I can still laugh at today. Chase and Aykroyd have always set the mid-80's standard of what was funny, and this movie proves it. Of course there are flaws, and it probably could've been better...but for what it's worth, I think it's definitely worth owning, let alone watching.
Judging by the comments given about Spies Like Us, it seems most people, in fact, do like it. Of course, it is meant to be a comedy and nothing else. If people were looking for a break-through in film by watching Spies Like Us, then, Yes...you would be let down.
Good characters, akward situations, nice changes in scenery, and classic one-liners....I'd give it an 8, overall. -
ODDBear13 January 2006If you're a fan of Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd, or both, it's easy to recommend Spies Like Us. Fans of these performers will get a kick out of seeing them do their things and, at times, their interplay is simply hilarious. But the film's uneven tone, ranging from semi-serious to complete slapstick, is damaging and makes for a rather silly conclusion.
It's basically a series of set pieces that tie the plot together and the funny ones all come in the film's first half; Chase trying to cheat on an exam, the pair disguised as doctors and prepping for surgery are two hilarious scenes. But in the end the film goes for an outrageous and silly resolution that undermines all that preceded it (sort of like 1981's Stripes).
Fans of these actors will find plenty to enjoy though, but I'm not so sure about the others. -
Peach-25 July 1999Spies Like Us is a very silly movie. It takes the basic premise of the fish out of water plot, then throws Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase into the mix, and what you get is some very funny moments and alot of wasted oppurtunity. I enjoyed the film and thought it had some very funny moments between Aykroyd and Chase, the funniest being the testing sequences. Still some will enjoy, others will wonder.
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lesleyharris3025 July 2012Spies Like Us is a good movie with a well written storyline and a great comedic cast.I am a huge fan of both Chevy Chase and Dan Akroyd,but this movie had a lot of more potential than what it delivers,the story was interesting and definitely was an easy set up for some great laughs.The chemistry between Chase and Aykroyd is the highlight and certainly what made this movie a lot better,there are many scenes that had me laughing but it didn't keep me interested all the way through.Has its moments and is definitely worth a watch if you see it on television,but don't bother going out of your way to see Spies Like Us.
Two bungling bureaucrats are chosen by the CIA for a top secret mission,unaware that they are only decoys.
Best Performance: Chevy Chase -
Aaron13754 April 2003The first half of this flick, I found was very funny. Unfortunately, though it loses its energy and is only worth a few chuckles. It is still ok, but it just isn't laugh out loud funny. Two guys are recruited to be spies, though they are actually just decoys for the real spies. The test scene and the training scenes are the best part of this film. Dan and Chevy are very funny in these scenes and work well with each other. After the training though it just isn't the same. There is a funny scene where they pose as doctors and a few other scenes here and there. Then there are these long stretches where nothing really happens, and things that don't really seem to belong in a comedy. Like the scene where you see all this screens and stuff opening up to try and destroy the missile. The plot really strays near the end as well.
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eskimosound4 May 2020They just don't make Comedy movies like this these days... They're great!! Just a stupid fun 102 mins. Paul McCartney wrote the theme tune!! Definitely worth a watch.
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universityofhawaii10 October 2011If you don't smile at any point during this movie, your sense of humor is greatly lacking.
This movie is set up to make fun of several classics and itself, at the same time. Writers developed the funny and artistic way of getting a couple of out of luck actors to believe they are playing a major gig in delivering the missile. Then they add the classic love and heroism in an actual and understandable form. They comedy routines are timed perfect to keep the plot moving and the film from feeling long. The cast they put together has very familiar faces which the crowd easily recognizes as being funny and know they are going to get a good laugh. Truly and artistic masterpiece and a cult classic.
This is a wonderful treasure for a comedy collection and great to see again on the BIG SCREEN. This is certainly one that falls into college cult classic favorites. -
GOWBTW13 January 2008Chevy Chase and Dan Ackroyd put the "F" in funny in the movie "Spies Like Us". There's something big going on in Russia. Two government workers are sent out to be spies in different countries. They go to the Middle East, they head out to Russia to scope out a nuclear missile being launched. Unbeknowst to them, they aren't trained to be spies, they're trained to be decoys(sitting ducks)! The Middle East was a hoot. Hanged upside-down when Emmett Hume(Chase) explained to the people that they're Americans. The first part was funny when they fail to perform the appendectomy to a patient. They got their big break when the attack enemy lines and bomb out the foreign police. It was ultra funny when the two faux spies checked out the missile and the crew-persons who came out of the tent. Anything else would be boring. At least the men ended up being heroes. Funny, side-splitting, and totally non-stop laughter to make this movie worth its while. 3 out of 5 stars!
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Maziun2 October 2013"Spies like us " is many things in one movie : a Bond parody , a spy movie parody , satire at politics and war satire plus the popular "from zero to hero" plot . In hands of less skilled director it could be a mess , but Landis directs it with confidence and talent. The movie is mostly pure fun , yet the anti-war message is very clear and sounds sincere. "Spies like us" deserve to be placed in one line with "MASH" and "Dr. Strangelove".
The movie is kinda uneven . There are moments when the movie goes for too simplistic humor ( the army training ) like if the writers has run out of ideas . Thankfully there are enough really great moments that will make you laugh out loud – the exam , Afghanistan , aliens and Russians . Some jokes are really intelligent – the "this is non-army satellite" , the MTV teenagers and exploding TV , the "negotiations" between USA and USRR at the end of movie.
Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd are in good form and have great chemistry together . They bring a lot of charm into their characters and I have feeling that without them many jokes wouldn't be that funny. Some of the jokes and one liners , especially coming from Chase feel improvised ( the scene with microphones or grenade). I also have to praise lovely Donna Dixon.
"Spies like us" has some nice special effects that look good after all this time. The cold-war subtext might seem outdated for modern audience . The message the movie is sending is still actual today – the common men want to live in peace and don't hate each other . It's the politicians who look for war and they should be careful , because the consequences might be catastrophic.
Watch out for famous movie directors in small episodes : Frank Oz (the teacher at exam) , Costa Gavras (one of the Russian policemen) and Terry Gilliam (one of the doctors). I give it 8/10. -
CherryBlossomBoy21 July 2015The essence of "Spies like us" is best captured in the scene where candidates take the exam for secret service. The two dead-beats, Chase's and Aykroyd's characters, approach it completely unprepared, save for the cheat-sheets and attitude. Their charade is painfully obvious to the exam supervisor, they know it's obvious yet carry on with it to the bitter end. When I saw this flick again, 30 years after I loved it as a kid, I felt like that supervisor: "Are they for real? Do they really think they can get away with it?". He wasn't impressed with their attempt at passing the exam, I wasn't impressed with their lazy attempt at comedy.
Indeed, the key people involved don't appear they're even trying. There were four screenwriters in this and they still managed to underwrite the script. There are too few jokes, and many of them are just too dumb. Not funny, dumb. Like that whole training sequence, for instance. As if they put in all they had, and it was barely enough so they couldn't afford to throw the rubbish out.
Then there are stars of the flick. Chevy Chase goes with his usual devil-may-care routine which is okay when script leaves him something to subvert. When he has nothing to do, he is unfunny. He is just squirming there, like a dog that waits to be taken out for a walk. On the other hand, Dan Aykroyd, who co-wrote the screenplay, acts all too smugly, winking at the audience that he's in on all the jokes. His delivery in the "doctor... doctor... doctor..." scene is a perfect example of ruining a gag you're supposed to deliver in a sincere, deadpan fashion. But Aykroyd doesn't want to be perceived as dumb by the audience. That's his problem in other films, too.
John Landis topped them all by putting so little effort in the directing, I wonder if he was there at all. In that period his mind was probably more on trying to get cleared of that triple manslaughter charge than on putting together a funny film. Either that or he was too full of himself to care. After all he had so many hits under his belt already, "Trading Places" included. Nothing of his talent is visible here. Pedestrian camera angles, shots that could use a lot of trimming and giving too much freedom to principal cast. Many times I felt I was watching outtakes, when camera was left just rolling and nobody yelled "cut". Hell, almost every scene with Chase and Aykroyd looked like an outtake. The film plods most of the running time, picking up tempo only towards the end somewhat.
All in all, too bad, because the rest of the cast have done their job and the premise had potential. The idea of two wannabe spies sent to USSR to serve as a decoy for two real spies on an important Cold War mission, where the wannabes end up saving the day instead of the pros, works both as a spoof of the genre and as a pure slapstick comedy. Ironically, you'll find more laughs and slapstick in the films they spoofed. -
Dan Ackroyd stars as the typical CIA think-tank intelligence analyst and Chevy Chase is our answer to the inept, stupid, lazy and bungling agent who wouldn't even pass the first interview in the REAL world of spying. These two collide (comically) with each other in a complicated scheme orchestrated by rebellious military and civillians where they are used as a "distraction" from the real mission. Ackroyd's leadership enables them to survive to complete their mission while the lascivious Chase spends most of his time thinking like the typical male. When they find a Soviet mobile missile launcher and then receive instructions from their rebellious controllers to "accidently" send the thing on it's way to a target in the US, only the quick thinking of Ackroyd can save the day. This movie has some great comic elements as well as good action scenes with decent stunts. Chevy Chase never fails to entertain with his suave, intelligent(he only acts stupid) and sexy character he made famous in other roles. Dan Ackroyd is GREAT as the straight man who keeps Chevy out of trouble. Add this one to your collection of DVD movies in the comedy section on your shelf!