- Director: Steven Soderbergh
- Screenplay: David Koepp
- Cast: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, Pierce Brosnan
- Cinematography: Steven Soderbergh
- Editing: Mary Ann Bernard
- Score: David Holmes
- Genre: Spy thriller
- Runtime: 94 minutes
Many couples enjoy a little gossip about the neighbours in bed. Or discuss suburban trivialities: “Did you remember to put the bins out?”
But what if the pair are special agents? I can imagine the conversation going along the lines of: “And who did you take out today?” – “Oh, just some Iranian terrorist clutching a hand grenade. Nothing wild.”. An interesting dynamic; more undercover, less under the covers.
A few topics are off-limits. They can’t share everything with one another. The code words for terminating such conversations: ‘black bag’. The only way they could operate as a couple is by a rule of silence when any questions should arise and a foundation of faith in their relationship.
There’s a mole in the organisation. Intelligence agent George (Michael Fassbender) has 5 suspects to sort through to find the traitor. One of these people is his wife, Kathryn (Cate Blanchett). Does she have in it her to betray her country? To deceive her husband? She’s loyal to him; she’d kill for him. But would she tell him the truth?
A stellar lineup of supporting players; Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page. Each of them is a flawed character – though it’s worth noting how Kathryn’s devotion to her partner is not so much an asset as a weakness. Ripe for exploitation.
Amazing camerawork from director Steven Soderbergh, especially the dinner scene near the start where George assembles the group around the table to ‘throw the stone and watch the ripples’, with the lighting adding a touch of intimacy. ‘Black Bag‘ is twisty like a serpent with plenty of bite. Bitesize too, at 94 minutes. I’m planning on seeing it twice; a single viewing wasn’t enough to absorb all the dialogue and nuance.
My rating: 8 / 10
SilverScreen 