OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies
2006 · Directed by Michel Hazanavicius
Original language: French
- crime
- action
- adventure
- comedy
The story
Set in 1955, French secret agent Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath/OSS 117 is sent to Cairo to investigate the disappearance of his best friend and fellow spy Jack Jefferson, only to stumble into a web of international intrigue.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated Technicolor-style frames of 1950s Cairo: sun-bleached streets, pastel hotel lobbies, a pool glowing turquoise, lush period costume and cars with fins, all shot with a crisp, confident, mid-century polish that is itself the joke. The camera holds on composed two-shots and deadpan reaction faces, and the score is a jaunty swing-and-lounge pastiche of spy-movie cues that keeps winking at the audience. Its vibe is breezy, goofy, and gently ridiculous, the kind of comedy you can enjoy on a lazy weekend afternoon, a rewatch with friends, or a late-night laugh after a long week. Pacing is brisk, with the comedy built from the protagonist's blinkered self-assurance and his cluelessness about the world around him, while a sly satirical edge pokes at colonial attitudes, Cold War posturing, and old-fashioned masculinity. Violence is cartoonish and brief, with slapstick fights and a few gunshots, and there is no gore; sexual innuendo and crude jokes recur but stay light. Suited to viewers who want a silly, stylish spy spoof with a knowing sense of humour rather than tension or suspense.
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