I never thought I would go to spy camp. I’m a chubby, old, mom who lost all athletic ability a long time ago. So when 20th Century Fox invited me to a spy training camp to help promote the new movie Keeping Up With The Joneses I jumped at the chance. (But not a big jump, because, ya know…)
Me and a few of my fellow mom bloggers were so pumped to start our training at iFly at Universal City Walk. Since I started this blog the one thing I can say for sure is that every week, every day, something pushes me out of my comfort zone. And being suspended in air by a giant fan is one of those things.
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I strapped on my flying suit, swallowed my nerves, and prayed the force of the fan would be strong enough to hold my big bones. And you know what? It was! And for the first time in years I felt weightless, free, and empowered. I can fly!
Suzie Boluarte, Laura Nickerson and Heather Brooker
For the next stop on our spy camp crawl we headed to Residuals Bar for a little bevy and training from dart master Eddie O’Flaherty. Not to brag, but clearly I was a dart champion in a previous life. My inner mom came out and crushed it.
And no spy camp would be complete without learning how to “spy-ce” it up in the kitchen. We were treated to a fabulous meal with renowned Chef Saverio Posarelli at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center. He gave us some tips on cooking risotto (leave it alone!) and took artisan salads to another level. Also, a little peach and Prosecco drinky drink made it even more special.
By the end of our training I felt like I was ready to go undercover! And after watching a special screening of the film at FOX, I can see how all of these tools would help get me ready for duty and it made the movie even more fun!
Keeping Up With The Joneses stars Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher, Jon Hamm, and Gal Gadot. The two couples couldn’t be more different: one couple lives a quiet life in suburbia, the other couple are international undercover spies.
Aside from the fact that I could watch Jon Hamm churn butter and be mezmorized, he was truly fantastic in this role. After watching him play serious Don Draper on Mad Men for so long, I love watching him be funny. He and Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) are the perfectly sexy, sleek spy couple. They also have moments of levity, making them very entertaining as spies. I kind of want to see a movie just based on their characters as the Joneses!
Isla Fisher and Zach Galifinakis as suburban spies in Keeping Up With The Joneses
Zack and Isla are the heart of this film. The everyman and woman we either know, or are. I rarely laugh out loud in comedies because, well I’m a comedy snob, and also I usually see jokes coming a mile away. But Zach and Isla are so brilliant and funny that they often caught me off guard with their delivery.
As I watched the film I kept thinking back to my spy training and it made it even more special for me because I’d actually experienced the things they were doing. I highly recommend seeing this movie, then pushing yourself out of your suburban comfort zone. Whether it’s an iFly experience, a game of darts at your local bar, or getting spicy in the kitchen, I think you’ll find it feels good to spy-ce it up every now and then.
Keeping Up With The Joneses opens in theaters on October 21st. What will you do to spy-ce things up in your life? Comment below and you could win a 4 pack of tickets to see Keeping Up With The Joneses. Winner will be picked at random on October 28th!
