NOTE: Jason had originally intended to publish this a week ago but it got lost in cyberspace. He is putting it out now in the hope more people will see this wonderful film.
A delightful spy vs spy thriller
Film critic Jason Evans is here to tell you about movies in less time than it takes to pick a liar out of a lineup. His reviews are exactly 100 words long (99 is never enough and 101 is too much). Here is his 100-word review of Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag.
The Premise: George (Michael Fassbender) and Kathryn (Cate
Blanchett) are happily married and deeply in love. They are also spies who work
for Britain’s MI6. George is a human lie detector, known throughout the agency
for being able to spot a mole a mile away. When he is given the task of
tracking down someone who is working with a Russian dissident on a dangerous
plot to destabilize Moscow, he’s shocked when Kathryn is among the suspects. As
layer after layer of mystery and lies are peeled back, it looks more and more
like Kathryn is the mole. What will George do if he has to choose between his
wife and his country?
The film also stars Marisa Abela (HBO’s Industry), Regé-Jean
Page (Netflix’s Bridgerton), and Pierce Brosnan. It is directed by Steven
Soderbergh (Ocean’s 11, Erin Brockovich, Magic Mike, Lucky Logan) and written
by David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Mission Impossible, Indiana Jones and the Dial
of Destiny).
The 100-Words: A smart cross between Ocean’s 11 and Mr. and
Mrs. Smith, this is Soderbergh at his finest. He expertly manages this cast of compelling,
enigmatic characters. There is an extended dinner party scene that is among the
most compelling acting and writing you will see on screen this year. Amid so
many other stars, it is Abela who stands out as someone we cannot stop
watching. Keopp’s fast-paced and clever script is likely to be on everyone’s
best screenplay shortlist. Sit back and enjoy a great time at the movies as you
try to you puzzle through the mysteries here.
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