MOVIE TIME
Spies should stick together.
for Stay-at-Home Streaming!
by Bonnie L. Harris
Undercover Fun Amazon Studios Rated: PG-13 Streaming on Amazon
A
s a completely predictable pint-sized spoof on spy movies, My Spy, the new Amazon family feature is actually pretty enter taining. Little C hloe Coleman plays a lonely latchkey kid named Sophie to giant Dave Bautista’s undercover agent, JJ, and their good-natured chemistry works well to support a sometimes weak script. But enough laughs, plenty of action, lots of quirky awkward moments, several eye-popping explosions, and an endearing charm make
the film a worthwhile splurge. T he s e cond ar y ch arac ters furnish comic relief and are often more zany and fun to watch than Sophie and JJ. Although she doesn’t know it, Sophie becomes pivotal to a deadly villain named Marquez, who’s after a set of plans to build a mini nuclear bomb. JJ and his IT specialist, Bobbi, are tasked with setting up surveillance on Sophie’s mom, but during their first day on the job, Sophie accidentally discovers them. Like any smart kid, she uses her leverage and her cell phone to
corner JJ into training her to be a spy. Catering to a kid makes JJ cranky, but he can’t risk blowing the mission. Eventually, he discovers that he enjoys helping Sophie over the bumps of middle
school and his life is better for it. And Sophie’s mom, Kate, starts to rely on JJ as a neighborly friend, which causes Sophie to play junior matchmaker.
FOR THE PARENTS Vagabond Heart The Short History of the Long Road FilmRise Pictures, Rated: PG. Streaming on Amazon
D
uring the pandemic, I’ve been very thankful for a secure home and family who live close by. In the new indie feature, The Short History of the Long Road, teenage Nola Frankel explores the meaning of home when you’re homeless and the importance of family when you’re an orphan. It’s a quietly powerful film with minimal dialogue, stunning cinematography, and genuinely unique characters who survive on limited resources. Nola and her father, Clint, live a happily
nomadic life in an old VW camper van until an unexpected tragedy propels Nola into instant adulthood. Clint taught her to be self-reliant,
Searching for happiness.
With Marquez closing in on Sophie’s location, JJ and Bobbi are mistakenly pulled off the case leaving Kate and Sophie in danger. A tearful good-bye is suddenly put on hold when Marquez kidnaps Sophie. The chase is on and JJ won’t stop until Sophie’s safe. It’s an action-packed ending that’s thrilling, satisfying, and cute; a tough combination to pull off. Be warned, My Spy contains quite a bit of salty language and gun play, which some parents might consider inappropriate.
but Nola discovers that total freedom comes with emotional drawbacks. She’s longed for a stay-put life, but when a compassionate stranger invites her to join their family, Nola realizes she’ll never belong. She escapes, and when her van breaks down, she ingratiates herself into another stranger’s sedentary life. Still, she’s restless. Nola then tracks down her mother hoping for stability, but her mother reveals the truth about Clint that Nola has been avoiding. Although he seemed irresponsible and puckish, he was actually the better parent. Back on the road, Nola eventually finds her place among nomadic friends and vagabonds who accept her into their makeshift family.
O R E G O N F A M I LY. C O M • A U G U S T 2 0 2 0
21
