Get Smart: Review By Brokaw

Steve Carell reprises the comedic character of secret agent Maxwell Smart (which was originated by Don Adams in the 1960s) with Anne Hathaway as the fashionable Agent 99. In this film it is Smart's first field assignment for CONTROL against the evil KAOS. With some high-tech gadgets, the duo travels the globe together after the identities of all the other CONTROL agents have been compromised. For Smart, it is his turn to move from an analyst to a field agent and prove he has what it takes to get the job done.

With his trademark shoe phone (back in the 1960s cell phones had not yet been invented so this was a really cool gadget), and his blundering ways, Max Smart is back and Steve Carell is the perfect man to play the part. Hathaway is the high fashioned Agent 99, who resents being paired up with the novice Smart. After all, she is a pro and Smart has never been in the field. But together they prove to be quite a pair. Also making an appearance is the Cone of Silence, which true to form, doesn't work the way it was intended.

Obviously if the public embraces them, Maxwell Smart (Agent 86) and Agent 99 will undoubtedly return in the future with more films. The TV series was very popular and aired for five years. It was a comic look at the spy business with Agent 99 being the more experienced secret agent and Smart, more often than not, the bumbling fool. With trademark expressions ("Would you believe?" "Missed it by that much." "Sorry about that.") Carell is Maxwell Smart reincarnated. There is no one else who could carry it off. And Hathaway's stylish clothing and capable character make her a wonderful updated 99. Barbara Feldon originated the fashionista agent in the series that garnered seven Emmy awards.

While some might wonder why a filmmaker would dare try to reprise a classic TV show, it is clear why they cast these specific actors in the parts. The film has some fun scenes, and there are some cute moments that will definitely strike a chord with fans of the TV series, however it is just a little disappointing. Perhaps it is because, personally, I don't like people messing with classics. I still think of Sean Connery as James Bond. But if you're going to remake Get Smart, than this is the way to do it.