"Spy School" Review - Written by Mathius Mack Gertz

Title: Spy School (a.k.a. Doubting Thomas)
Year: 2008
Director: Mark Blutman
Cast - in credits order Forrest Landis ... Thomas Miller AnnaSophia Robb ... Jackie Hoffman Rider Strong ... Mr. Randall Lea Thompson ... Claire Miller D.L. Hughley ... Albert Roger Bart ... Principal Hampton Brian Posehn ... Grissom Ezra Buzzington ... Cedric Bailey Timmy Deters ... Drake Chapman Andrew Hoeft ... Shane Santini Shawn Prince ... Safchik, Barry Melanie Abramoff ... Christina Adams Mitch Rouse ... Kip Miller Suzy Nakamura ... Mrs. Bleckner
MPAA Rating: PG [for mild action and brief smoking]
Studio: Kosmic Film Entertainment
Distributor: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Running time: 88 minutes
Official Website: http://www.screenmediafilms.net/

The Boy Who Cried Wolf, also known as The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf, is a fable attributed to Aesop. The protagonist of the fable is a bored shepherd boy who entertained himself by calling out "wolf". Nearby villagers who came to his rescue found that the alarms were false and that they had wasted their time. When the boy was actually confronted by a wolf, the villagers did not believe his cries for help and the wolf ate the flock and the boy. The moral is stated at the end of the fable as: “Even when liars tell the truth, they are never believed. The liar will lie once, twice, and then perish when he tells the truth”.

Fables and fairy tales have been adapted in many forms. From ballet and opera to television and film, from high culture Tchaikovsky to pop culture Disney. Many works expand a single story into a longer version. Spy School is the latest adaptation of this Aesop fable and a very good one too.

When Thomas (Forrest Landis), a twelve-year-old carrot-topped class clown who is infamous for telling tall tales, discovers a secret plot to kidnap the President’s daughter at the school dance, no one believes him. Not Principal Hampton (Roger Bart), not his mother (Lea Thompson), not his best friend Jackie (AnnaSophia Robb). Finally he has to take the matter into his own hands, not just to save the First Daughter, but to win back the trust and respect of all of his friends and family. Along the way he learns the value of honesty and friendship and that it is your self worth and integrity that define you, not what title you hold or job you do.

Spy School is a wonderful updating of The Boy Who Cried Wolf. The production values and editing are excellent; as is the script and the acting. Kudos to director/writer Mark Blutman and writer David DuBos While this direct-to-video film is geared to adolescent children, I found myself completely enthralled with the story because the child in me was able to relate to the characters. Great plot lines for elementary to middle school boys and girls whose parents will not be bored watching this either. The story has plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing “who-done-it” and it isn’t till very near the end that you really know who the kidnapper is.

The morals of the story, while obvious to many an adult, are woven well into the plot and should provide a good foundation for kitchen table conversations. As a DVD family comedy with life lessons, Spy School is an unqualified hit. Five Stars.