View source for Agent Cody Banks

{{short description|2003 film}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Agent Cody Banks
| image          = Agent Cody Banks film poster.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Harald Zwart]]
| producer       ={{plainlist|
* David C. Glasser
* Andreas Klein
* Dylan Sellers
* [[Guy Oseary]]
* David Nicksay
}}
| screenplay     = {{plainlist|
* [[Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski|Scott Alexander<br>Larry Karaszewski]]
* [[Zack Stentz]]
* [[Ashley Miller (screenwriter)|Ashley Edward Miller]]
}}
| story          = Jeffrey Jurgensen
| starring       = {{plainlist| <!-- per poster billing block -->
* [[Frankie Muniz]]
* [[Hilary Duff]]
* [[Angie Harmon]]
* [[Keith David]]
* [[Cynthia Stevenson]]
* [[Arnold Vosloo]]
* [[Ian McShane]]
}}
| music          = [[John Powell (composer)|John Powell]]
| cinematography = [[Denis Crossan]]
| editing        = [[Jim Miller (film editor)|Jim Miller]]
| studio         = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures]]<ref name=afi>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/62250|title=''Agent Cody Banks''|work=[[AFI Catalog of Feature Films]]|accessdate=July 11, 2024}}</ref>
| distributor    = {{plainlist|
* MGM Distribution Co. (United States and Canada)<ref name=afi/>
* [[20th Century Fox]] (International)
}}
| released       = {{film date|2003|3|14}}
| runtime        = 102 minutes<ref name=afi/>
| country        = United States<ref name=afi/>
| language       = English
| budget         = $28 million<ref name="boxofficemojo1">{{cite web |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=agentcodybanks.htm |title=Agent Cody Banks (2003) |publisher=Box Office Mojo |access-date=2012-08-16 |archive-date=2012-07-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725182452/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=agentcodybanks.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
| gross          = $58.8 million<ref name="boxofficemojo1"/>
}}
'''''Agent Cody Banks''''' is a 2003 American [[action comedy film]] directed by [[Harald Zwart]]. The film stars [[Frankie Muniz]] as Cody Banks, a 15-year-old teenager who has to finish his chores, avoid getting grounded, and save the world by going [[undercover]] for the [[CIA]] as a [[James Bond]]–type superspy. [[Hilary Duff]], [[Angie Harmon]], [[Keith David]], [[Cynthia Stevenson]], [[Arnold Vosloo]] and [[Ian McShane]] co-star in supporting roles. It was filmed in [[British Columbia]].

''Agent Cody Banks'' was released in the United States on March 14, 2003, and received mixed reviews from critics.

==Plot==
Cody Banks, a 15-year-old high school sophomore, applies for a junior field ops position at the [[Central Intelligence Agency]]'s [[Special Activities Division]] after completing a training [[summer camp]]. Answering to his [[Agent handling|handler]] Agent Ronica Miles, Cody is called upon a mission to find information about a scientist named Dr. Albert Connors. Connors is employed by a [[SPECTRE]]-type organization named [[Eris (mythology)|ERIS]] led by Dr. Brinkman and his henchman François Molay. As all CIA agents are known to Brinkman's organization, the CIA uses the unknown Banks, who is placed into the [[University-preparatory school|prep school]] of Dr. Connors' daughter Natalie, the [[William Joseph Donovan|William Donovan]] Institute.

Cody soon finds he has no social skills with girls and has no time to do this while balancing his chores and homework. The CIA decides to help by doing his chores and homework, trying to build his status, and going into the school to set him up with Natalie. The CIA also assemble a varying team of "experts" to train Cody into how to talk to girls, and issue him with a variety of gadgets with various functions.

Eventually, Cody befriends and falls in love with Natalie after rescuing her from falling off a ladder while putting up a banner, and he is invited to her 16th birthday party, where he goes undercover to her father's lab. Cody finds that Brinkman plans to use [[nanobots]] — which can destroy any carbon or silicon-based substance — to destroy the world's defense systems so he can threaten anyone who opposes him. Since the nanobots are inactive in the cold, he plans to use [[ice cubes]] to distribute them. After Connors, Brinkman, and François leave the lab, Cody tries taking one of the ice cubes, but melts when in his possession.

After Cody fights some delinquents at the party, the CIA suspends him from the mission. Meanwhile, with Connors refusing to aid him in his plans, Brinkman has François and his henchmen bring Natalie into his base in the Cascade Mountains. Meanwhile, Cody, disobeying orders to avoid Natalie, eats ice cream at a local restaurant with her. Cody attempts to explain things to Natalie but François and a group of henchmen ambush Cody and abduct Natalie.

With Cody removed from the mission, he gives his brother Alex the $5,000 from the CIA in exchange for keeping his disappearance a secret. Knowing Natalie's location via a tracking device in a necklace he gave her as a birthday present, Cody travels to the mountains using a rocket powered snowboard and other devices. After being discovered by Ronica, Cody persuades her to help him rescue Natalie. The pair infiltrate the laboratory and Cody rescues Natalie, also explaining the truth about why he went out with her.

However, Brinkman holds Natalie hostage and puts an ice cube with a nanobot inside on her forehead to make her father program the system. Cody activates a series of explosive charges he and Ronica planted throughout the base, and in the ensuing battle, Ronica fights off several of Brinkman's men, and Natalie places the ice cube with the nanobots into his mouth, causing the nanobots to devour him from the inside out. Cody later defeats François and sends him to the CIA using the SoloTrek XFV, before fleeing the exploding facility with Ronica, Natalie and Dr. Connors. The CIA welcomes Cody back to the team and congratulates him for completing the mission, and Cody is given a reward to give Natalie her driver's license. After driving at the beach, Cody and Natalie share a kiss, starting a relationship.

==Cast==
<!--- [[MOS:FILMCAST]] [[WP:NOTDATABASE]] - cast and order per Main Cast closing tombstone stand-alone credits, roles per closing credits scroll --->
{{Cast listing|
* [[Frankie Muniz]] as Agent Cody Banks
* [[Hilary Duff]] as Natalie Connors
* [[Angie Harmon]] as Agent Ronica Miles
* [[Keith David]] as CIA Director
* [[Ian McShane]] as Dr. Brinkman
* [[Arnold Vosloo]] as François Molay
* [[Cynthia Stevenson]] as Mrs. Banks
* [[Daniel Roebuck]] as Mr. Banks
* [[Connor Widdows]] as Alex Banks
* [[Martin Donovan]] as Dr. Connors
* [[Darrell Hammond]] as Earl
* [[Noel Fisher]] as Fenster
* [[Andrew Francis]] as Fenster's buddy
}}

==Production==
For his participation, Muniz was paid $2 million, the highest amount paid to a child actor at that point since [[Macaulay Culkin]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://variety.com/2002/film/markets-festivals/mgm-banks-on-harmon-1117867706/|title = MGM 'Banks' on Harmon|date = 29 May 2002|access-date = 6 April 2021|archive-date = 22 May 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220522174917/https://variety.com/2002/film/markets-festivals/mgm-banks-on-harmon-1117867706/|url-status = live}}</ref> ''Agent Cody Banks'' was developed as part of a broader strategy by MGM to make less-expensive films that can appeal to younger and niche audiences.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://variety.com/2003/film/markets-festivals/banks-2-suffers-helmer-withdrawl-1117885055/|title = 'Banks 2' suffers helmer {{as written|withd|rawl [sic]}}|date = 24 April 2003|access-date = 6 April 2021|archive-date = 21 July 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210721220403/https://variety.com/2003/film/markets-festivals/banks-2-suffers-helmer-withdrawl-1117885055/|url-status = live}}</ref> Both Muniz and Angie Harmon did most of their own stunts.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://variety.com/2003/scene/markets-festivals/money-in-the-banks-1117882049/|title = Money in the 'Banks'|date = 11 March 2003|access-date = 6 April 2021|archive-date = 22 May 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220522130336/https://variety.com/2003/scene/markets-festivals/money-in-the-banks-1117882049/|url-status = live}}</ref> The film used [[Media.net]]’s Edit System Dailies to transfer pre-digitized Avid system files from the post production facility Rainmaker in Vancouver directly to the pic’s editing rooms in Los Angeles without having to wait for tapes to be delivered, allowing producers and executives  to receive their viewing copies half a day sooner than through the traditional method.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2002/digital/news/media-net-spies-lion-s-agent-1117868968/|title=Media.net spies Lion's 'Agent'|date=25 June 2002|access-date=6 April 2021|archive-date=30 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030163415/https://variety.com/2002/digital/news/media-net-spies-lion-s-agent-1117868968/|url-status=live}}</ref> Principal photography took place in 2002 in [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]].

In 2025, Muniz revealed that Duff was not his first choice for her role and that he had wanted [[Kristin Kreuk]]. Muniz and Duff's mother didn't get along, which soured the friendship between Muniz and Duff; they never spoke again after the release of the film.<ref>[https://deadline.com/2025/10/frankie-muniz-hilary-duff-mom-agent-cody-banks-casting-1236601994/ Frankie Muniz Recalls How Hilary Duff’s Mom Hijacked ‘Agent Cody Banks’ Casting: “It Pissed Me Off”]</ref>

==Reception==
On review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]], ''Agent Cody Banks'' holds a 38% approval rating and an average rating of 5.2/10 based on 102 reviews. The critics consensus states, "Should satisfy young teens, but offers nothing new for those who are familiar with the formula."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Agent Cody Banks |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/agent_cody_banks |access-date=October 25, 2022 |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=[[Fandango Media]] |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112003141/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/agent_cody_banks |url-status=live }}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], it has a score of 41 out of 100 based on reviews from 24 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Agent Cody Banks Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/agent-cody-banks |access-date=October 25, 2022 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[Fandom, Inc.]] |archive-date=October 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026050109/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/agent-cody-banks |url-status=live }}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "A-" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=CinemaScore |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413083139/https://www.cinemascore.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] gave the film 2.5 out of 4 stars.  He said that kids would probably enjoy it, but, unlike the ''[[Spy Kids]]'' series, adults would probably not.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/agent-cody-banks-2003|title=''Agent Cody Banks''|last=Ebert|first=Roger|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|date=March 14, 2003|accessdate=July 11, 2024|via=RogerEbert.com}}</ref>

''Agent Cody Banks'' opened at #2 with $14 million behind ''[[Bringing Down the House (film)|Bringing Down the House]]''{{'}}s second weekend.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2003&wknd=11&p=.htm |title=Weekend Box Office Results for March 14-16, 2003 |publisher=Box Office Mojo |access-date=2012-08-16 |archive-date=2012-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025212310/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2003&wknd=11&p=.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> By the time the film closed on July 31, 2003, it earned $48 million in the US and an additional $10.9 million internationally, adding up to a total $58.8 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=agentcodybanks.htm |title=Agent Cody Banks (2003) |publisher=Box Office Mojo |access-date=2012-08-16 |archive-date=2014-04-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140402043436/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=agentcodybanks.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Frankie Muniz's character is asked twice if he is "in [[Special education|special ed]]". When the film was released on home video, MGM included an apologetic paragraph in response to criticism regarding these lines.

{{blockquote
|quote = Regarding the references to special ed in the movie, we in no way meant to be insensitive to kids with special educational needs. Rather, it was meant to show how cruel kids can be to one another. As you have seen, Cody overcomes his own speech problems and saves the day. Thank you to those who brought this to our attention. We will be mindful of it in the sequel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2003/digital/features/inside-move-cody-dvd-a-sensitive-effort-1117889313/|title=Inside Move: 'Cody' DVD a sensitive effort|date=15 July 2003|access-date=6 April 2021|archive-date=22 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522132517/https://variety.com/2003/digital/features/inside-move-cody-dvd-a-sensitive-effort-1117889313/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|bgcolor =
}}

==Sequel==
Muniz reprised his title role in the sequel, ''[[Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London]]'', which was released on March 12, 2004. Duff and Angie Harmon were replaced by different characters played by [[Anthony Anderson]] and [[Hannah Spearritt]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0313911}}
* {{Mojo title|agentcodybanks}}
* {{Rotten-tomatoes|agent_cody_banks}}

{{Harald Zwart}}
{{Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski}}

[[Category:2003 films]]
[[Category:2003 action comedy films]]
[[Category:2003 romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:2000s adventure comedy films]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:2000s spy comedy films]]
[[Category:2000s teen comedy films]]
[[Category:2000s teen romance films]]
[[Category:20th Century Fox films]]
[[Category:American action comedy films]]
[[Category:American adventure comedy films]]
[[Category:American romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:American spy comedy films]]
[[Category:American teen comedy films]]
[[Category:American teen romance films]]
[[Category:Films about the Central Intelligence Agency]]
[[Category:Films directed by Harald Zwart]]
[[Category:Films scored by John Powell]]
[[Category:Films set in Russia]]
[[Category:Films set in Seattle]]
[[Category:Films set in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films]]
[[Category:Teen action films]]
[[Category:Teen adventure films]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]
[[Category:English-language action comedy films]]
[[Category:English-language romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:English-language adventure comedy films]]