There are the makings of a kind of nicely twisted "Grosse Point Blank" for kids here, a crazy idea with real consequences. But the script, by John D'Arco, doesn't pull that off. Instead, the movie just gets silly.
"Barely Lethal" is an amusing comedy for a certain demographic, but because of its plot and cast it might instead draw a crowd that will greet it with contempt.
"Barely Lethal" is clearly confused about its intended audience, starting with the icky title, a pun on the porn label that selects and photographs models to emphasize their youth.
There are some nifty one-liners, too, from fleeting, anti-Canadian jibe, 'Take back Bieber', to this surreal putdown, 'You may have them fooled, but you and I both know that you are sketchier than a 2am waffle house'.
