This is kind of a Dickensian story, with colorful characters stitched together by a somewhat improbable plot that the actors nonetheless do a great job of selling. The storytelling holds attention as it wavers between comedy and suspense, with some violence that verges on the tastelessly cartoonish. There are intentional anachronisms, particularly in the language, and I find them no less jarring for being intentional. But there are some admirable strokes of originality, such as a reluctant superspy who is held in awe by the espionage establishment but finds it hard to understand why. And an unexpected reveal of who the narrator is.
