Spies Like Us

Name: Spies Like Us
Genre: Adventure, Comedy
Released: December 6, 1985
Duration: 102 min
Rating: 22
Cast: Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd

1985

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 9 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Ratings

See All

7.1

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.1	Your Score
7.1	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Spies Like Us (Theatrical Trailer)

Now Playing: Spies Like Us (Theatrical Trailer)

Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. | Release Date: December 6, 1985 | PG

Starring: Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd

Summary: Two bumbling government employees think they are U.S. spies, only to discover that they are actually decoys for Nuclear War.

Director: John Landis

Genre(s): Adventure, Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 102 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Larry Kart

One imagines that fans of Chase and Aykroyd will be mildly pleased with the results. As political humor, though, Spies is an uneasy blend of seriousness and farce--a picture whose antiwar theme seems designed to let its makers cash their paychecks and, at the same time, feel good about themselves. [06 Dec 1985, p.A]

Salem Alaton

Good Landis work looks like a comically heightened reality, and it scores with sharp moments in which the world is ridiculous and being American is possibly just as ridiculous. Spies Like Us, his latest, ranks with his poorest efforts, in which strange people start out in extraordinary situations and the lead characters have a pig-out; pushing for wildness, Landis gets mired in crudity (as in Animal House). [09 Dec 1985]

Jack Kroll

Spies Like Us does have a few yuks, or at least yukettes, but there's only a semi-smidgeon of inventiveness in this ponderous farce. [16 Dec 1985, p.84]

Janet Maslin

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. Read full review

Dave Kehr

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 recycled Abbott and Costello riffs and fumbled Strangelovean satire. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

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 that must exist for comedy to work well. Read full review

Paul Attanasio

It's the kind of stuff you come up with when you're not trying very hard, and on Spies Like Us, nobody seems to be trying. And that can be very trying indeed. [09 Dec 1985, p.C3]

SEE ALL 9 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

hazmatt009

Jan 30, 2021

Spies Like Us is a great comedy homage to Hope & Crosby without the musical numbers. All the critics that reviewed this as a “political commentary” are morons. Spies Like Us is a classic fish out of water buddy comedy in the vein of Martin & Lewis, Knotts & Conway, Bob & Doug McKenzie, BillSpies Like Us is a great comedy homage to Hope & Crosby without the musical numbers. All the critics that reviewed this as a “political commentary” are morons. Spies Like Us is a classic fish out of water buddy comedy in the vein of Martin & Lewis, Knotts & Conway, Bob & Doug McKenzie, Bill & Ted, and Wayne & Garth. If there was a marijuana element, they would be Cheech & Chong, Jay & Silent Bob or Harold & Kumar. The humor is a little crude, the premise is ridiculous and it’s really funny. It’s not a masterpiece. It’s an 80’s comedy. It holds up better than expected 35 years later. In fact, it’s probably a little better than you remember if you saw the movie when it came out.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LamontRaymond

Jun 7, 2017

Sure, I was a kid in the 80s, but I remember this being one of the funniest movies of the era. "Doctor? Doctor..." These critics seem WAY too humorless here. There are plenty of laughs. And I loved Donna Dixon, of course. She's a nice contrast to the goofiness of the leads.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

kheas

Feb 26, 2019

To me, this is absolutely one of the best of its time. Full of clever jokes, hilarious gags and great comedic timing, it shows Aykroyd and Chase in their prime. I cant begin to tell you what a comedic gem this film is and its rather sad that not many people are aware of it. This is one thatTo me, this is absolutely one of the best of its time. Full of clever jokes, hilarious gags and great comedic timing, it shows Aykroyd and Chase in their prime. I cant begin to tell you what a comedic gem this film is and its rather sad that not many people are aware of it. This is one that rewards multiple viewings and with each one you will find more and more fun bits throughout. To this day I havent looked at an abandoned drive through theater the same way, you ll know what I mean when you finally watch the film. https://latetothegame.blog/2018/12/13/key-movies-of-my-life-spies-like-us-1985/… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 3 REVIEWS