Johnny English (2003)

Johnny English is not a good movie by any means, but it is a funny one. It contains all of the elements of a bad summer action comedy -- a weak story line, obvious jokes, and preposterous plot developments -- but it still succeeds in entertaining, due largely to the comedic talents of its star, Rowan Atkinson. In the title role, Atkinson steals the show as a bumbling, inept superspy-wannabe. Simply put, he is hilarious; but one has come to expect this from Atkinson, who could create comedy out of any given situation. His innate talent for physical comedy is perfectly suited for a Bond-like parody, but the film does not rise to meet his abilities. English displays an intriguing combination of spy ineptitude and genuine detective abilities that is thrown away for easy laughs when he could have become as memorable a character as Inspector Clouseau. As his sidekick, Bough, Ben Miller appears equally inept at first, but reveals a flair for spy activities, bailing Johnny out on multiple occasions. A relative unknown, Miller shows a talent for quiet, understated comedy, while Atkinson plays for the big laughs, making them an effective comedic team. In their midst, Natalie Imbruglia actually comes across a bit boring, despite her perfect model looks. The romantic scenes between her Lorna Campbell character and English are forced and fail to achieve much odd-couple comedy, so it is lucky that the filmmakers did not focus on their pairing too much. As for villains, John Malkovich is surprisingly ineffective as the rich French-snob Pascal Sauvage, who is bent upon taking over the British crown. Malkovich's wonderful comedic talents as witnessed in Being John Malkovich are nowhere to be seen here. Clearly, the writing is beneath him, but one wonders why he took the part at all; his stereotyped and unflattering portrayal of the Frenchman seems strange considering that he lives in France himself. And as for the story, even though it's a comedy, one would have hoped for more from actual former Bond writers. If the movie had a better-written spy plot line, it might have been an instant comedy classic; instead we are left with a throwaway popcorn movie that would not bear repeat viewings. Although Johnny English certainly delivers on silly laughs and has its heart in the right place, it fails to make the most of an inspired comedic premise. ~ Dana Rowader, All Movie Guide