‘Ride or Die’: Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer Team up in Breezy Assassin Romp

Alci Rengifo

Amazon’s “Ride or Die” is the kind of show real spies might watch and leave them wondering when they’re supposed to be having so much fun. Creator Tessa Coates has made one of those breezy entertainments that borrows from numerous clichés but makes them work with expert performances from two real pros. Hanna Waddingham and Octavia Spencer play best friends and we certainly believe it. They bring charm to the premise of, what if you found out your bestie was actually a paid assassin? You could go either way with such a plot, this show opts for an enjoyable caper that would have worked just fine as a movie, but lets us watch these two actors let loose for eight episodes.

After an action movie opening where Judith (Waddingham) shoots and skis her way out of a situation atop an Austrian ski resort before bedding a hunk bartender, we meet Debbie (Spencer), a former lawyer living in London with ambitious politician husband David (Jamie Parker). Debbie assumes her life is pretty stable. She helps David as he hopes to keep rising towards becoming Prime Minister and shares a love of music, antique collecting and books with Judith, in a friendship that has lasted over twenty years. Then, there’s the first sudden twist when on their way to a gala, David tells Debbie he wants a divorce. Now she must attend the gala in an emotional daze. Judith happens to be at the same event, but on a secret assignment. It all goes to hell, David is killed and Judith makes it out with a stunned Debbie. As they speed through the streets and trade bullets with pursuing goons, Judith tells Debbie about her actual life as an assassin. Understandably, Debbie is shocked, but she’s also now involved in whatever scheme also linked to David, meaning she must follow Judith down the road to face whatever comes their way.

The idea of an attractive woman with tough looks turning out to be a gun for hire is as old as at least Luc Besson’s “La Femme Nikita” in 1990. Waddingham is a natural in the role, appearing both alluring and dangerous in those early scenes where she shoots her way through trouble, then tells her hook up she is a “forensic accountant.” Yet, she is not the actual focus. This is a true two-person show, driven by the fun mix of personalities played by Waddingham and Spencer. The action and assassin antics are peppered with sly comedy as well. Judith sits down with one of her handlers to hear that maybe it is time she retires. At fifty, she’s like a soccer player getting too old for this game, making sloppy mistakes. Her boss, the Director (Bill Nighy), is no spring chicken, but he’s quite ruthless whereas she’s going through a midlife crisis. Colorful antagonists are written to pursue Judith and Debbie, including the Albanian mafia, and most memorably, Ana (Sylvia Hoeks), a totally psycho assassin. Ed Skrein is a scene-stealer as Billy, a “mark” Judith meets at the doomed gala who is later taken prisoner. He’s a fun captive to have around because of his gritty wit and need to flirt with the tall blonde assassin. 

Despite having these features, “Ride or Die” is not entirely an action ride. Its essence is in the hilarious use of assassins as an allegory for honesty within a friendship. Debbie just cannot believe her best friend never told her the truth about her murderous career. Spencer is endearing as the friend who demands answers while looking shocked every time a gun is fired or someone gets killed. She is the suburban wife thrown into pure craziness. The dialogue finds funny ways to comment on the genre, when Debbie chastises Judith for accepting payment for her hit jobs Judith retorts that without pay she would just be another serial killer. Cute flashbacks show their early days as friends, driving around singing Meredith Brooks’ “Bitch,” written with the convincing air of two people with slightly differing personalities getting used to each other. Some reviewers have already compared the duo to “Thelma and Louise,” except Ridley Scott’s film never aimed to be goofy. The point here is to put the basics of friendships into an assassin yarn. David is even that spouse who gets easily annoyed because it is Debbie’s turn to host her book club with Judith. 

While this plot would have been just fine as a movie, as an episodic series it gives everyone else enough room to entertain, like Jacques (Jackie Ido), an Interpol agent pulled into the pursuit of the buddies who then develops a crush on Debbie. “Ride or Die” works as pure streamer candy, taking detours for nerdy trivia and adolescent banter in-between skillfully filmed chases on motorcycles, cars, airplanes, and everything else an assassin plot requires. Waddingham and Spencer make it work better than it should by making their characters feel truly human despite all the antics at play. We feel for Debbie when she opens up about not realizing her marriage was on a nosedive and Judith when she admits that aging can be scary, and lead to riskier behavior. These are so good we actually wish the action can quiet down to let them get serious or goof off some more.

“Ride or Die” season one begins streaming July 15 on Prime Video.