When intelligence agent Kathryn Woodhouse is suspected of betraying the nation, her husband – also a legendary agent – faces the ultimate test of whether to be loyal to his marriage, or his country.
Chuck says:
Smart, sleek and sexy, Stephen Soderbergh’s “Black Bag” is the antithesis of a James Bond espionage caper – though it does feature a former 007 in a pivotal role. Intimate and intelligent, David Koepp’s script has a modest focus- a sextet of spies – yet the implications of their actions have potentially tragic global consequences. At its core, the film is a collection of character studies, Soderbergh more interested in examining issues of trust and paranoia as they exist and are manipulated by people who lie for a living. As such, car chases, fisticuffs and action set pieces are in short supply but hardly missed, the interpersonal intrigue captivating enough.
Two faux dinner parties frame the action, a bit of Agatha Christie used to introduce us to the six principal characters and set the tone. Col. James Stokes (Rege-Jean Page), a tightly wound senior agent, arrives with Dr. Zoe Vaughan (Naomie Harris), the agency’s resident psychologist. They are joined by Freddie Small (Tom Burke), another agent, who’s a bit rough around the edges, and Clarissa Dubose (Marisa Abela), who works in the surveillance division of MI6. Their hosts are George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) and Kathryn St. Jean (Cate Blanchett), also operatives whose marriage is the envy of their peers.
Unbeknownst to all is that Woodhouse has been told there’s a mole in the agency, and it has been put to him to root the traitor out. The prime suspects are those gathered around the dinner table – his wife included – this meeting his first foray into gathering revelatory clues. A behavior specialist, Woodhouse employs a game that exploits each of his guests’ vulnerabilities and before the evening is out, secrets are exposed, some of which add to the central mystery.
Things become even more complicated when a doomsday device has been stolen from the MI6 labs and fallen into the hands of a Russian dissident. How this and Woodhouse’s investigation are connected is far too complex to go into here. Koepp’s script is intelligent and densely packed, the film containing no scenes where bathroom breaks can be taken. That being said, you won’t want to leave as the twists contained are so clever, you’ll find yourself eager to see what else the writer and Soderbergh have up their sleeves.
The cat-and-mouse game that results is made all the more entertaining as the viewer is never quite sure who’s the cat and who’s the mouse. As Woodhouse gets his answers, and deals with confusion, so do we, becoming stymied and solving the mystery as he does. The introduction of Division Director Arthur Stielglitz, played by former Bond, Pierce Brosnan, at the halfway point, deliciously upends things once more.
Those looking for traditional action will likely be disappointed. One exploding truck and three pistols are all that’s in play during the course of the film. No, this is a parlor game set on an international stage, one propelled by its characters’ behaviors rather than action set pieces. It’s obvious the cast is having a great time, sinking their teeth into their complex characters. While Fassbender and Blanchett hold centerstage and are as good as we’ve come to expect them to be, their co-stars excel as well, Abela standing out, bringing a coquettish tinge to her role that suggests she may be smarter than all the rest.
Far better than their “Presence” from earlier this year, Soderbergh and Koepp’s “Black Bag” is a vibrant reminder of the inherent pleasure derived from having our curiosity stimulated with a smartly written, precisely executed mystery. In their hands, no pyrotechnics are needed to thrill the audience.
3 1/2 Stars
