Rating: 3.5/5
Synopsis:
It’s not often we see Steven Soderbergh deliver movies within a few years of each other, much less a few months. He presents another interesting character study, as intelligence agent George Woodhouse and his wife Kathryn are the best of the best. The only thing stronger than their dedication to their profession is their marriage. When Kathryn is suspected of working against national interests, George is forced to grapple with a devastating reality. Will George support his wife or his country? Or is there something deeper happening beneath the surface?
Positives:
I’m happy to report that “Black Bag” far exceeds Soderbergh’s “Presence” from earlier this year. It is a small-scale, intense little thriller that utilizes its strong cast well. At a tight ninety three minute runtime, Soderbergh manages to craft a well paced story that uses mind games and dialogue to create tension rather than high octane chase sequences. It abandons the standard formula of espionage films for an intimate look at the relationship between the leads. While I enjoy action and chase scenes in my spy-thrillers, this was a unique approach that does something different. The focus on George and Kathryn’ relationship as they navigate complex careers is an interesting way to tell the story. Their dynamic is one of trust, where they always prioritize each other over everything. But this trust is tested once Kathryn is suspected of foul play. George is forced to examine all options, so his perspective throughout the film is one of suspicion and thorough investigation. The cat and mouse nature of the story kept my interest, delivering thrills in a more subdued way.
The performances are all excellent. Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett are the anchors, delivering serious performances with a slick demeanor. Pierce Brosnan, Naomi Harris, Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Paul, and Marisa Abela all deliver terrific supporting performances. The cast all feel vital to the story at hand, where each different personality is hard to read throughout the deception going on. The dialogue is excellent too, as each character’s wit and resolve are tested as the plot goes on. I love a good character driven film where they are allowed to sit in a scene and challenge one another through thoughtful conversation. Soderbergh’s score is largely subtle as he lets his actors command each scene, abandoning dramatic music for intense discussion. The film’s editing is very impressive. Each scene is stitched together to provide alternative perspectives for every character. Once the film concluded, I was satisfied with how the presentation of the story was executed. On a technical level, “Black Bag” is top notch.
Negatives:
“Black Bag” could have been one of the most impressive movies of the year had it not gotten lost in its convoluted plot. While I enjoy a challenging story, some of the dialogue is very hard to follow as the terminology being used feels isolated to the spy community. Regular audiences may have a difficult time following as the exchanges are fast and dense. There are also elements to the story that operate at a level which makes the audience feel distant. The viewer feels like the spies in the film, a bit isolated and unsure of what’s actually going on. This would be okay if everything made sense by the end. But there are lots of twists and turns that didn’t completely come together for me. It’s one of those circumstances that seems like the filmmakers were trying to prove to audiences how smart the story was without filling in all the details. Still, I’d take this over a generic story any day.
Conclusion:
I enjoyed the fresh approach to Soderbergh’s spy thriller. It operates as a slick, polished story that has many twists and turns. Audiences will be impressed by the strong performances and excellent dialogue. The editing is also strong, putting audiences inside of this complex, intimate story. If the film was able to streamline certain plot pieces better, it would have been a slam dunk. But unfortunately the overly convoluted nature of the story left me only partially satisfied. “Black Bag” is certainly worth the price of admission for taking a unique approach to the spy thriller genre. While it doesn’t hit on every marker, I champion Soderbergh for his ambition.
