Barely Lethal Review – Entertaining, Family Fun for All

Barely Lethal, from RatPac Entertainment and RKO Pictures, brings to the screen a fun, over the top, teen angst dramedy of life and the cataclysmic atomic clash as under the radar super spy lives her dream with Middle America normal family.

Directed by Kyle Newman, Barely Lethal stars Hailee Steinfeld, Dove Cameron, Sophie Turner, Thomas Mann, Samuel L. Jackson and Jessica Alba. Barely Lethal also stars Jason Ian Drucker as Parker and Rachel Harris as Mrs. Larson and was written by John D'Arco.

We met our group of super trained elite spies as Barely Lethal begins with an animated introduction which through cartoon caricatures brings the audience up to the present where Maxwell Hardman, a combination of Headmaster/drill sergeant/surrogate Dad, played by Samuel L. Jackson, runs spy drills pushing the girls, played by Sophie Turner and Hailee Steinfeld, to become the best secret agents in the world.

Voice over by Hailee Steinfeld, explains how the government sponsored spy-cademy chooses recruits. Her years of exhaustive training under the watchful eye of Hardman has created the number one mission specialist with Sophie Turner, Heather, second.

As the best in the business our spies are trained at a very young age to have no attachments as it weakens resolve and the will to complete the mission.

Project Exchange Student, or find a family, becomes the driver in Megan's life until opportunity meets chance and with a steel will our girl, super spy, defects to normalcy.

Little does our champion, who has taken on the name Megan Walsh, who successfully staged her escape from master spy leader, Hardman, dodged the bullets of the world's most notorious arms dealer Victoria Knox, played impressively by Jessica Alba, and managed on the first dreadful day of High school to become an overnight viral sensation, know the most difficult mission she will ever face is the one she chose.

Armed with only research, of how a modern teenage girl should dress, what clothes, shoes and make up, based on the bestselling magazines which, of course, blanket the tween/teen demo on how the modern girl would dress for success in navigating the minefield of high school and making up for lost time, Megan hopes for the quintessential high school experiences.

As the world turns upside down, even with the freedom of everyday life, our spy, is too well trained to think her idyllic challenge will last, as her super spy skills heighten with each high school trick, trip up, and tumble.

Soon the longing for a family, to find out what life on the outside is like, pulls Megan into the home of The Larson's. Her version of a perfect family, with Liz Larson, also played very well by Dove Cameron, near her own age, younger brother Parker, played by scene stealing Jason Ian Drucker, and Mrs. Larson, played by Rachel Harris.

The Larson's have also had a mini bomb go off in their lives, while not having a legion of the world elite trained super sleuths on the trail, divorce has struck the family and taken its toll with Liz, suffering under teen attitude, with a capital A.

The disdain for life, school, the future, her sarcasm, anger, hurt, frustration all very evident which she shares freely. It is only when exchange student/spy Megan, trying to chart the path to fitting in has serious missteps that she comes to the rescue, in the clinch, and shows her true self before instantly her protective guard goes up again and she returns to her cover, daughter/stranger.

Soon the minefield of mean girls has made it past Megan's defenses and she becomes the target of tradition. Delivering a stunning blow, her embarrassment catapults her into the affections of the tech geek Roger, played by Thomas Mann, and super cool, I-tunes musician, Cash, played by Toby Fenton.

Barely Lethal is a showcase for an up and coming ensemble of performers who all provide stellar, amusing, standout performances in demanding physical and comedic roles.

Rachel Harris in the tough role of single Mom/Surrogate Mom to daughter/stranger and foreign exchange/spy gives new meaning to the motherhood. I felt she did exceptional work as she took hold of the role.

The scenes with Samuel L. Jackson and Jessica Alba are very well done, and create a nice exchange. Not having seen Ms. Alba in many performances I walked away realizing she is very talented.

Barely Lethal is a fish out of water comedy, taking girl spy adept at bringing down terrorist regimes and placing them in the most challenging of circumstance ever known to man, high school, in small town USA.

Barely Lethal, brings the atomic world of high school teenage tribulation, the rolling nausea of life and the high tech world of super-secret elite spies at full speed clashing together in a fun filled, comedy drama.

Barely Lethal is entertainment for the whole family!

Barely Lethal opens wide May 29, 2015. 

Haute Tease