The tagline for the movie Black Bag is “it takes a spy to hunt one,” and this spy thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by David Koepp exemplifies this in every single way. George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) has spent most of his adult life in service to his country. A point that is driven home in the opening sequence is when we discover that he turned his own father in, and who ultimately killed himself. When asked why he would do this, his reply was, “Because he can’t stand people who lie”. A statement that is more ironic because his job (along with the jobs of everyone else sitting around the table) is to lie…at least to others.
George is provided information that his wife may be the primary suspect of the ultimate betrayal, treason to their country. In an effort to root out the mole in the organization, George invites the five most likely suspects to a dinner party. George is known as a human lie detector but laces the food anyway with a chemical that is meant to bring the truth to the forefront. What follows is a ninety-minute thrill ride to investigate each of the five suspects and ultimately determine who the mole is.
Cate Blanchett once again dazzles on the big screen as Kathryn Woodhouse, George’s wife and the primary suspect. The supporting cast of Rege-Jene Page, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, and Naomie Harris round out the remaining suspects. Each has their own personal spy skillset that would seem capable of pulling off such a job. These are not your standard run-of-the-mill characters; however, each and every one of them is flawed in ways that could easily set them up to turn on their own ideals. Whether that be a drug/woman problem, a fear of money issues, or a psychologist who fancies “spicy” reading, each of the characters is brilliantly portrayed. Even Pierce Brosnan (who has played a spy before) is along for this ride.
Where Black Bag truly shines is how it progresses the story. This is not an action-paced, fly around the world chasing the target, type of film. It’s a thoughtful, cerebral journey where the focus isn’t on what or how the particular item was stolen, but rather the lengths that those involved will take to defend either side. For those looking for a spy movie akin to James Bond or Mission Impossible, this may not be the ride for you. This is a far more realistic view of how spies go about their day. Not about chasing down suspects with a gun or defusing a bomb; this is much slower-paced. You also might be surprised if, by the end of the film, you realize that you hadn’t spent the entire film trying to figure out who had done it.
Black Bag is easily an early contender for Best Film and numerous Best Actor/Actress and supporting roles for the Academy. The film’s pacing is perfect, the story intriguing, and the acting superb. It’s a thriller that makes you think and draws you in with each and every move. It’s like watching two Grand Masters at Chess try to outmaneuver each other, but instead of capturing a king at the end of the game, it captures you.
4.5 out of 5 stars
This is definitely on my must-see list! Great review
Thank you. I will let him know.