Best known for his chameleonic turns in a wide array of ludicrous scenarios, Emmy-nominated Sacha Baron Cohen embraces an immensely different role in “The Spy.” Inspired by actual events, Netflix’s six-part limited series sees an actor who usually leans towards the absurd get real for a change, playing the mustachioed Eli Cohen, an undercover Israeli agent who wormed his way into the highest ranks of Syria’s government in the ’60s under the alias Kamel Amin Thaabet. This is, put plainly, Baron Cohen as you’ve never seen him before.
A bunch of comedy actors have thrived with serious roles in the past. Bill Murray (“Lost in Translation”), Steve Carell (“Beautiful Boy”), and Whoopi Goldberg (“The Color Purple”) are just a few examples of this. But does Baron Cohen pull off the shift from silly to solemn himself? On a scale of yay to nay – is the Pope Catholic?
There’s a strong sense that co-writer/director Gideon Raff has given Baron Cohen a much-needed – and possibly long-awaited – opportunity to sink his teeth into something weighty. In doing so, the director has scored a firm triumph, but plumping for such an off-center performer was a bold and risky move. Fresh off his disappointing Netflix thriller “The Red Sea Diving Resort,” Raff desperately needed “The Spy” to succeed. Dissimilar to the aforementioned feature film in almost every way – other than both tracking Mossad agents on a mission – it appears this miniseries is the creator’s shot at a do-over of sorts. Thankfully, it’s worked out, and Baron Cohen is more than up for the gnarly task to help wash away the bitter taste left by an entirely forgettable, would-be “Argo.”
Just moments into the actor’s first on-screen appearance, it’s easy to leave behind all memories of his legendary personas of yesteryear. Baron Cohen’s dual performance as a mild-mannered, Jewish-Egyptian store clerk and loving husband to Nadia (Hadar Ratzon Rotem), recast as a composed and charismatic covert agent by a rigorous training program, is effortless. His portrayal of Eli and Kamel are equal in force, and while these two characters are poles apart, the two appeal in varying ways. The former, a gentle but ambitious soul, is comfortable to watch as he goes about his life. The latter, a power-hungry social climber, is a pleasure to follow as he galivants from one soirée to the next, rubbing shoulders with Syria’s military and political elite.
Although frequently thrown into the lion’s den by handler Dan Peleg (Noah Emmerich) – leading to some searing tension – Eli and Kamel are mostly locked inside the boundaries of restraint throughout the series. But you can’t put that blame on Baron Cohen. It’s Raff and co-writer Max Perry who rarely permit their lead – as either version of his dramatis personae – to venture past these carefully built confinements. The pair are especially guilty in this respect in the first few episodes. The problem is this undue caution leaves the audience wondering if the story could have taken them deeper into this unsettling, half-century-old world of espionage.
However, the above gripe stands alone, as every other aspect of “The Spy” is worthy of a big thumbs-up. In technical and stylistic terms, Raff has got a few creative surprises up his sleeve, like any words written, typed, or read by Eli arranging themselves on a blank surface nearby, before gently disappearing. Some might call this a gimmick – and yeah, it seems so for a while – but it eventually becomes a charming part of the furniture.
In going for a limited series over a feature film, or even a standard series with the potential for subsequent seasons, Raff and Perry made the correct decision limiting “The Spy” to only six episodes. Being confined to the run-time of a feature film or stretched over multiple seasons in a typical series would have worked to the narrative’s detriment by either cutting out valuable time for character and plot development or leaving the door open for later degradation of an end product just fine as it stands, respectively. Their wise choice also results in a wonderfully bingeable treat for viewers – likely 98% of the streaming population – incapable of self-discipline.
“The Spy” may not be the best drama of its ilk, but it could be an effective springboard for Baron Cohen to access further dramatic roles in the future. Granted, it’s doubtful the actor is completely done with his inane, widely-loved characters like Ali G, Borat, and Brüno, but at least we’ll be privy to this new side of him more often moving forward. [B+]
“The Spy” will launch on Netflix on September 6.
