Spy

Susan Cooper is a deskbound CIA analyst who's spent her career supporting field agents from behind a computer. When a dangerous arms dealer's plot threatens global security and top operatives are compromised, she volunteers to go undercover. Thrust into an unfamiliar and violent world, Susan has to learn spycraft on the fly, improvise when plans fall apart, and use the particular strengths that made her indispensable in the briefing room. Along the way she crosses paths with seasoned agents and unpredictable allies, balancing comic mishaps with high stakes as she works to stop a catastrophic attack without revealing national secrets. She leans on deskmate Nancy and meets agents Rick Ford and Bradley Fine, forming awkward but useful new alliances.

Released in 2015 and directed by Paul Feig, Spy stars Melissa McCarthy as Susan Cooper, with Rose Byrne, Jason Statham, Jude Law and Miranda Hart in supporting roles. It blends action set pieces with broad comic beats and witty thrills.

The film was a box office success across markets, attracting audiences who wanted an action comedy led by a female star. Its strong turnout helped cement Melissa McCarthy's place in larger scale comedies that include physical stunts and fight sequences.

Spy pushed a mainstream studio to center a woman in an action spy comedy, which encouraged casting choices in similar genre hybrids. Several sequences, especially those pairing unexpected humor with real stunt work, showed audiences that female leads could carry loud, physical comedy without sacrificing skill or credibility, raising visibility.

Critical reaction leaned positive, and audience ratings reflect enjoyment of the film's mix of slapstick and genre parody, the vote average sits around 6.8 out of 10. The story pokes fun at spy movie machismo while valuing intelligence, persistence and awkward resourcefulness over traditional charm. Many viewers praised McCarthy's timing.