When a hardened CIA operative meets his match in a precocious nine-year-old girl

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the action comedy My Spy, a former Army Ranger turned CIA agent finds his surveillance mission derailed by a sharp-witted child. After she discovers his hidden cameras, she blackmails him into teaching her the espionage trade, forcing the socially awkward operative into an unexpected and life-changing domestic bond.

Directed by Peter Segal, My Spy follows JJ, a CIA operative whose lack of subtlety ruins his initial mission to stop an illegal plutonium trade. His boss, David Kim, reassigns him to monitor the family of Victor Marquez, a French arms dealer. JJ and his tech support, Bobbi, set up surveillance in a Chicago apartment building where Marquez's sister-in-law, Kate, and her nine-year-old daughter, Sophie, reside.

The film's central tension arises when Sophie, played by Chloe Coleman, discovers the surveillance operation and coerces JJ, played by Dave Bautista, into training her as a spy. This dynamic forces the stoic agent to navigate the complexities of suburban life and school social dynamics. The plot thickens as Marquez, seeking stolen construction plans for a miniaturized nuclear bomb, tracks the family to Chicago, leading to a high-stakes confrontation at an airfield in Naperville.

The production faced significant hurdles due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally slated for a 2019 theatrical release, the film saw multiple delays before Amazon Studios acquired the distribution rights. It eventually debuted digitally on Amazon Prime Video and in select theaters in June 2020. Despite mixed critical reception—with some reviewers noting its mediocre execution of the 'action star meets cute kid' formula—the film found a substantial audience, becoming one of the most-watched streaming titles of 2020.

The project's success led to a sequel, The Eternal City, released in 2024. While critics debated the film's tonal consistency, pointing to a PG-13 rating that included profanity and mature themes, it remains a notable example of the genre's attempt to blend high-octane action with family-oriented comedy. The film's journey from a delayed theatrical release to a streaming success reflects the broader shifts in film distribution during the pandemic era.

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