About Get Smart (HBO)

"Get Smart" is an American action spy comedy film that was released in 2008. It is a hilarious adaptation of Mel Brooks and Buck Henry's popular 1960s TV series by the same name. Steve Carell filled the shoes of Maxwell Smart, an administrative officer of CONTROL, who dreams of becoming the real agent. After the identities of secret agents are compromised, he is promoted to the position of Secret Agent 86. Along with Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), who recently underwent plastic surgery to conceal her identity, he is tasked with preventing KAOS, a terrorist organisation, from carrying out their sinister plans.

Making / Production

The movie Get Smart is directed by Peter Segal and written by Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember. Produced by Mosaic and distributed by Warner Bros., Get Smart does a remarkable job pulling the TV series into modern film while preserving its charm.

Actors

• Steve Carell as Maxwell Smart / Agent 86: He nailed the classical mix of overconfidence and cluelessness provided by his character. His brilliant comedy timing made his performance better and funnier.
• Anne Hathaway as Agent 99: Hathaway provided a strong performance, working as the more experienced and sensible counterpart to Carell's Smart.
• Alan Arkin as The Chief: He played the head of CONTROL, often stuck dealing with Smart's mishaps. His performance was both strong and humourous.
• Dwayne Johnson as Agent 23: Johnson brought charm and skill to his role as the popular secret agent.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The shoe phone seen in the movie is a nod to the original television series.
• Steve Carell shot most of his own stunts in the movie.
• The roles of Max and Agent 99 were originally offered to Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman before Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway.

Awards

While "Get Smart" didn't snag any of the big industry awards, it did manage to win Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Movies for Television and Direct to Video at the Cinema Audio Society, USA. It just goes to show how appreciated the elements of production are that may go unnoticed by the average viewer.

Quotes

• "Missed it by that much." - Maxwell Smart
• "Oh, Max, you're the kindest, sweetest, most caring man I've ever known." - Agent 99

Music, Soundtrack

• "Take a Chance on Me" - performed by ABBA
• "Am I the Same Girl" - performed by Swing Out Sister
• "4 Minutes" - written by Madonna, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, and Danja