Spy Kids (2001)

"If you ask a bunch of kids, 'How many of you can sing or dance or write an opera?' they'll all raise their hands. But if you ask the same group 20 years later, maybe one person will raise their hand... I want to the kid who grew up to be the guy who didn't put his hand down." - Robert Rodriguez in Entertainment Weekly

It takes a while but "Spy Kids" eventually wins you over. Surely the films saving grace is the titular kids, Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara who have as much charm and innocence as they do talent and chutzpa. Sabara, in particular, is a marvel of young thespianism. This kid seems to be, in the best sense of the idea, oblivious to the camera, to acting and to the idea of acting. He simply exists in the film, as if it were all the most typical and mundane and expected action happening about him. Not bored, or listless, but rather a sense of verisimilitude that has not been seen in child actors for a long, long time.

Robert Rodriguez, the Hispanic filmmaker who caused such a buzz with his supposed $7,000 film "El Mariachi" less than a decade ago, is the writer and director here. Now calling Austin his home, Rodriguez has crafted a spy film that owes as much to "Home Alone," and "Willy Wonka" as it does "Mission Impossible" and "James Bond." In fact, if one wanted to be dismissive, one could say that Rodriguez simply steals here, emulates, rather than creates. And perhaps in many ways that might not be too far off the mark. The film often falls victim to stupid potty jokes for humor, usually falling quite flat. It also utilizes a horrid score by Danny Elfman that rips off every spy film score cliche in the book. Rodriguez, likewise, steals easily out of John Woo handbook and swipes cliff notes from "The Matrix." He also casts rather drab Carla Gugino in the adult female lead here. If you close your eyes when she talks, you will swear it is Julia Roberts you are hearing. And then there are the silly product placements peppered throughout the film, the most notorious being a McDonald's hamburger and fries.

Yes, one could easily take swipes at "Spy Kids" all day long and perhaps be right. But the truth of the matter is: The film is fun and compelling. Kids will delight in it as much as adults do. The film's tongue in cheek approach is often so subtle as to be unnoticeable. And, again, little Alexa and Daryl will win you over with ease. They have some hilarious lines here. And there isn't a swear word in the film, unless you count the exclamatory "Shitaki mushrooms."

Rodriguez pulls himself out of the fire again and again. His CGI effects are not perfect but one has to respect the man for doing so much on such a small budget. The story is fairly trite and piecemeal and yet it becomes sweet and heartfelt and exposes important themes about family. And even the use of flaming homosexual Alan Cumming as bad guy Floop (ala Rupert Everett in "Inspector Gadget") works for Rodriguez when the character takes a turn for the better towards the climax of the film. Cumming, like the rest of the cast, seems to be having a ball. Here, he creates a foppish Pee Wee Herman caricature that would fit in easily both in "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and "Teletubbies" (with a wardrobe stolen from Tellulah Bankhead, perhaps).

"Spy Kids" is cool and goofy. Kids will love the fantasyland look of Floop's world while adults will get all these cinematic and pop culture subtexts going on. And, again, the message of the film and of Floop's character are wonderful morals about families (ala "Mrs. Doubtfire") and do-gooding. It's nice to have a message for kids to grasp on to even if it is derivative.

And, alas, "Spy Kids" is the marketing department's Sutter's Mill! There's numerous unique characters for action figures, lots of action for video games and lotsa kid's stuff for Happy Meals and coloring books. The film is so obviously profitable and marketing driven that Mirimax/Dimension even ordered a sequel before this film hit the megaplexes. At least when Rodriguez sells out, he still turns out decent product. He still gives us bang for our buck. That $7,000 (yeah, right) paid in the early 90's is paying off huge dividends now. At least "Spy Kids" makes us feel like we got our money's worth for our 7 bucks too.

Notes:

Rodriguez came up for the idea for "Spy Kids" while shooting his segment of 1995's "Four Rooms" which featured his young sibling characters dressed for New Year's Eve. "I kept noticing how their little tuxedos looked, how the kids looked like little secret agents... (and I said,) 'This is a movie!'" Rodriguez took his idea to Mirimax who greelit the project but first wanted Rodriguez to make it's "hot" teen project, "The Faculty."

Rodriguez has four young sons named Rocket, Racer and Rebel. He and wife/producer Elizabeth Avellan currently live in Austin, Texas.

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