| Worth seeing: | for Fassbender and Blanchett's cool performances in a taut, stylish psychological thriller |
| Director: | Steven Soderbergh |
| Featuring: | Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Bruce Mackinnon, Dan Dow, Gustaf Skarsgård, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, Orli Shuka, Pierce Brosnan, Regé-Jean Page, Tom Burke |
| Length: | 94 minutes |
| Certificate: | 15 |
| Country: | US |
| Released: | 14th March 2025 |
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
There’s a traitor in Britain’s Secret intelligence Service and veteran agent George (Michael Fassbender) has been tasked with uncovering whoever stole a device called Severus and passed it to the enemy.
There are five agents on the list of suspects – two young couples – and his wife, Kathryn (Cate Blanchett).
George and Kathryn invite the other couples around for dinner and ply them with a truth drug – rather than uncovering the suspect, it brings some personal secrets out into the open.
In the days that follow, George has to chip away at the group – including his wife – using psychological games to find out who can be trusted and who has betrayed their country.
WHAT’S IT LIKE?
Spies, maybe – but Black Bag is more John le Carré than Bourne or Bond. There seems to be very little spying going on – this agency seems to be more about chatting over dinner.
It’s a psychological thriller, very much centred on Michael Fassbender’s George, as he tries to tease out the truth from his suspects, through gentle questions – latterly assisted by a polygraph machine.
“Are you clenching your sphincter?” he asks one of his subjects who seems to be getting one up on him.
The screenplay – by David Koepp – is full of such one-liners – whip-smart dialogue, betraying why the intelligence services are full of people from Oxbridge – as do the fine clothing and the upmarket home George and his wife share in an upmarket part of London.
Theirs is the most interesting relationship, throwing up his nightmare situation of whether he would choose his love for his country over his love for his wife. At the heart of this story – as with many spy films – is trust.
We never really find out quite what this Severus is or what the consequences of the treason might be – but it’s as effective a maguffin as you could ask for – an excuse to pit the team members against one another and drive the plot along.
With stylish locations, sharp dialogue and tight performances, it’s a highly entertaining watch and provides an insight into some of the behind-the-scenes shenanigans of a 21st Century spy – including the language that gives rise to the title – but it feels a little forced and hollow; slick but slight.