I Spy

I Spy has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available on Netflix and Hollywood Suite. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. A 5/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Eddie Murphy leads a cast with real comic timing. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

There is a reason I Spy keeps coming up in conversation. The jokes in I Spy land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. When the Switchblade, the most sophisticated prototype stealth fighter created yet, is stolen from the U.S. Government, one of the United States' top spies, Alex Scott, is called to action. What he doesn't expect is to get teamed up with a cocky civilian, World Class Boxing Champion Kelly Robinson, on a dangerous top secret espionage mission. Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2002. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and I Spy holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in I Spy. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Eddie Murphy's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.