It's Good To Be Weird - A Spies in Disguise Review ~ Running on Pixie Dust

What do you get when you combine the voice talents of Tom Holland and Will Smith with a great story and a talented animation team? The answer. . .Spies in Disguise, an action packed comedy that will have you championing Team Weird! I had the chance to be among the first in the world to see this movie complete - weeks before the "world premiere" even! When I was out in California for The Geekly Retreat we had the opportunity to screen this movie with some of creative talent behind it. I already had a sense this movie was going to be a hit, but I walked out loving every minute of the film and having a really hard time staying silent about it until embargo broke. So let's dive right in to see what makes this the perfect spy movie for kids.

About Spies in Disguise

Super spy Lance Sterling (Will Smith) and scientist Walter Beckett (Tom Holland) are almost exact opposites. Lance is smooth, suave and debonair. Walter is … not. But when events take an unexpected turn, this unlikely duo are forced to team up for the ultimate mission that will require an almost impossible disguise – transforming Lance into the brave, fierce, majestic… pigeon. Walter and Lance suddenly have to work as a team, or the whole world is in peril. “Spies in Disguise” flies into theaters this Christmas.

The Perfect Spy Movie for Kids

There are several reasons why I loved this film. First, the characters - particularly Beckett. Beckett and Sterling are the perfect on screen duo with the classic "opposites attract" feel to their relationship. While Sterling may appear to be the obvious hero, Beckett proves to us that heroes can also come from unlikely sources. "Let's get weird" becomes a tagline of the movie and I love the fact that a kid who is fascinated with science and engineering follows his dreams and sees them become a reality. As a mom of a boy who is also a STEM lover and an educator, I think it's awesome to have kids see it's cool to be smart - not just cool to be tough.

When it comes to brains, Beckett doesn't just have smarts in the science world, but also in the political philosophy department. Some of the messaging of this movie is incredible and just what I want to have my boys hear as they are watching an action packed spy movie. Here is just a sampling of lines that Beckett delivers in the movie that teaches kids fighting, violence, and war are not always the best or only option to consider. Without turning this into a political piece, we see a lot of violent messaging in our world - it's popular and it sells. This film shows that while the world may have violence, maybe it doesn't always have to be that way. Here's just a sampling of Beckett's lines throughout the film:

"You can do more by bringing people together than by blowing them up."
"I believe together we can find a good way to beat the bad."
"There's not good guys or bad guys - just people."

The value of teamwork is also central to this story. Sterling was an incredible super-spy, but he needed help from an unlikely source. In fact, early on in the film, Sterling remarks "Team? I fly solo." Little does he know how important the kid from research and development will become in his life. Not only does Beckett become a member of Sterling's team, but he develops his own "flock" of support as the movie progresses. This doesn't mean that everything is smooth sailing though as these team relationships develop. Friendships are tested and feelings are hurt - just like in real life. Characters learn what it means to change and grow, to apologize, and to accept the beauty of each other's differences.

I think this movie truly has it all for families to enjoy - action, humor, and heart. I can't wait for my boys to see it in theaters when it opens this Christmas. Make plans to fly to the movies too and see it with your family this holiday season!