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Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Steve Forrest, Donna Dixon, Bruce Davison ... see more see more... , Bernie Casey , William Prince , Tom Hatten , Vanessa Angel , Costa-Gavras , Tony Cyrus , James Daughton , John Daveikis , Matt Frewer , Jeff Harding , Bob Hope , B.B. King , Douglas Lambert , Christopher Malcolm , Edwin Newman , Seva Novgorodtsev , Ricco Ross , Heidi Sorenson , Jim Staahl , Michael Apted , Martin Brest , Joel Coen , Larry Cohen , Sean Daniel , Terry Gilliam , Ray Harryhausen , Charles McKeown , Derek Meddings , Frank Oz , Robert Paynter , Sam Raimi , Bob Swaim , Sally Anlauf , Laurence Bilzerian , Gusti Bogok , Terrance Conder , Garrick Dombrovski , Erin Folsey , Heather Henson , Stephen Hoye , Richard Kruk , Stuart Milligan , Svetlana Plotnikova , Margo Random , Sergei Rousakov , Richard Sharpe , Gurdial Sira , Mark Stewart , Bjarne Thomsen , Debbie McWilliams , Marion Dougherty

Director John Landis helmed this Cold War farce starring Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase as Austin Millbarge and Emmett Fitz-Hume -- two loser misfits who dwell in the lower ranks of the Central Intellige... read more read more...nce Agency. Convinced despite much evidence to the contrary that they're prime secret agent material, both men keep taking service exams in an effort to win promotion. Caught cheating on their latest round of tests, Austin and Emmett expect to be fired but are instead made full field agents and ushered into intense training. Little do they know that it's all a ruse and that they're about to be dumped in Pakistan to throw Russian spies off the scent of two real agents with an important clandestine assignment. A spoof of the "road" pictures popularized by Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, the film features a cameo by the latter as his golf-playing self. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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54% liked it

32,457 ratings

Critics

35% liked it

23 critics

PG, 1 hr. 43 min.

Directed by: John Landis, James Landis

Release Date: December 6, 1985

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DVD Release Date: November 10, 1998

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Stats: 995 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (995)

  • cosmo313
    October 20, 2011
    cosmo313
    Taking inspiration from the Hope & Crosby "Road to" movies (which explains Hope's cameo...his final film appearance), this is the story of two inexperienced desk jockeys who are suckered in to going undercover on a mission in Soviet Territory, unaware that they are really just ex... read morependable, and are being used as decoys. What ensues is a madcap romp through all sorts of exotic places as the two decoys go through one nutty incident after another.

    Given the concept and the people involved (just look at all those cameos!) I had some very high hopes for this being good. I'm rather upset to report that the film comes up short and isn't as good as it should have been. Oh yeah, I mean, the cast is good, but a lot of the camoes (a John Landis trademark) just feel pointless and silly. However, it is fun trying to spot them all, including Sam Raimi, Joel Coen, Martin Brest, Terry Gilliam, Ray Harryhausen, and even blues legend B.B. KIng. Still though, less fovus on cameos, and more on a stronger story. I did like seeing Chase and Aykroyd together again, and Bernie Casey's supporting role made me happy, too.

    The film is funny, but it's not nearly as funny as it thinks it is. I'm okay with silly humor, but many of the gags go on for too long and after a while you realize that there's really no plot or story (las if there was supposed to be), and oyu get the feeling that Landis was just banking on the jokes and the actors to carry things along. I wasn't bored though, and I did laugh, but since this is a Landis film, I was expecting something sharp, witty, and brilliant.

    I don't regret watching this, but I do wish it would have been better .See it if you want, but don't expect it to be great (like it should have been).
  • fb100002359227440
    June 20, 2011
    fb100002359227440
    Funny in some part, until the picture show that the script is not so good or funniest.
  • ajv2688
    January 19, 2011
    ajv2688
    An outrageous, hilarious comedy with a great cast and director. I love this movie.
  • cancercapricorn2002
    July 17, 2010
    cancercapricorn2002
    One of my favorite comedies from the 80's.To give you a quick rundown of the plot. Emmett Fitz-Hume and Austin Millbarge (Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd) are two bumbling government workers. Both, however plan to take the CIA recruitment test. After screwing up the worst they could ... read morethey are recruited as spies. However they don't know that they're decoy's and that their only purpose is to draw out Svoiet Union defenses so that the real spies can sneak in.

    After being trained at the hellish camp of Col. Rhumbus (Bernie Casey) they are dropped into Pakistan and end up in Afghanistan. Along the way they are confronted by the Afghani militia fighting the Soviets, Soviet spies attempting to foil the mission, and Bob Hope playing golf. After learning that they're decoys and that the real spies are ordered to launch of missle that may set off World War III, Emmett, Austin, and actual spy Karen Boyer (Donna Dixon) they must find a way to destroy the missile and make peace with the Soviets who think a war is breaking out.

    Chase and Aykroyd make the film work. Aykroyd plays the more serious of the two characters and figures most of the stuff out. Chase's character, Emmett is made out to be a complete fool and is successful at portraying it. Some scenes are absolutely hilarious including: the Soviet spies capturing Emmett and arguing whether or not to cut off his fingers, the introducing of all the doctors, and the whole alien sequence make up the best of the funny scenes.

    Spies Like Us is a simple fish out of water story and it works. The actors are able to hold the story together and the comedy is top quality. John Landis shows once again with this film that he is a comedy genius when given the right material.
  • phubbs1
    April 2, 2010
    phubbs1
    Genius comedy from two of SNL old classic team, Chase and Aykroyd are at their best here as two inept spies being given the run around LOL!
    The start of the film is by far the best as you see the two meet up, cheat in an entrance exam, get recruited, undergo training and then dum... read moreped behind enemy lines haha its one golden funny moment to the next, truely brilliant.
    The later half of the film does get alittle flat, not quite as good but still better than most films today, Landis has made some glorious films in his past and this was missed by many I believe, shame.

    TOP film :)
  • FilmFanatik
    January 15, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    I love this movie. Saw it a million times on TV and I still enjoy watching it when it's on.
  • ScoopOnline
    December 29, 2009
    ScoopOnline
    Checy Chase and Dan Aykroyd in one Movie. Love every tiny bit of it, specially the scene where they are asked to save Khan`s brothers life and undergo a surgery.

    Russian Interregator #1: Why are you here?
    Emmett Fitz-Hume: Why am I here? Why are you here? Why is anybody here? I... read more think it was Jean-Paul Sartre who once said... how do you spell spell Sartre?
    [soldier slaps him]
    Emmett Fitz-Hume: Owww... and let that be a lesson to you.
  • SirPant
    September 29, 2009
    SirPant
    Classic 80's comedy the likes we are unlikely to ever see again!
  • matertenebraum
    May 7, 2009
    matertenebraum
    Chevy 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 bein... read moreg 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
  • superclerk25
    February 25, 2008
    superclerk25
    Very funny movie featuring two of the best comics of the day. They go great together in this flick and it is funny that they didn't do more flicks together. This movie has some great bits in it such as the Doctor scene and the microphone scene. There are plenty more laughs in ... read morethe flick and there is a point where the plot falls away and we focus on the comic genius we see on the screen.

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Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr
March 26, 2009
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Landis never bothers to account for the friendship that springs up spontaneously between these two antipathetic types, but then he never bothers to account for anything in this loose progression of re... Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

There are seeds of something funny in the film's beginning and in its premise, but they are soon dissipated by so little sustained wit, and so much scenery. Full Review

January 14, 2011
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Landis' direction is indulgent, to say the least, with big landscapes, big crashes, big hardware, and big gags filling the screen. What he forgets is character development, that all-important factor t... Full Review

Jason Newman
September 4, 2010
Jason Newman, Bullz-Eye.com

The movie has since become a cult classic; one that those of a certain age and gender have committed to near memory and can spout lines and scenes on command like a new Army recruit. Full Review

Walter Chaw
July 18, 2010
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

nothing more than a nostalgia trip for people my age who remember seeing it in theatres and, because we were twelve, thinking it was hilarious. Full Review

John J. Puccio
July 14, 2010
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

...may never reach comic heights but, nonetheless, maintains a good-natured charm. Full Review

Stephen Garrett
June 24, 2006
Stephen Garrett, Time Out

The script is so patchy that most of the genuine laughs are squeezed into the first half; the rest is a rather tacky and confused extended joke about the nuclear arms race. Full Review

Michael A. Smith
November 11, 2004
Michael A. Smith, Nolan's Pop Culture Review

Often funny film boasts no less then 10 film directors on screen in small roles. Stick around for the Paul McCartney penned title song.

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
August 21, 2004
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Director John Landis likes to build elaborate cinematic toys, but this one is a comic clinker.

Alex Sandell
July 23, 2003
Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum

Too bad audiences didn't.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Spies Like Us Trivia

  • Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd Are used as decoys  Answer »
  • Who were the 2 main actors in Spies Like Us?  Answer »
  • What old movie stars Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd as screw-ups who were sent on a mission as distractions, but thought they were supposed to do the mission?  Answer »
  • In what movie did Frank Oz appear in?  Answer »
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