Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett star in new spy thriller, “Black Bag.”
Photo Credit — IMDB
In the intelligence world, a spy is strictly defined as someone who is used to stealing secrets from an intelligence organization. To get into the field of espionage, you can either volunteer or be recruited.
There are many motivational factors to becoming a secret spy, ranging from financial reward, patriotism, ideology, or even something as simple as love or as dangerous as blackmail. Now we are not talking Inspector Gadget here, but there are potential spies all around us every day. Look at your so-called friend circle or sneaky coworkers just looking to pull information.
The term Black Bag, is a secret, clandestine entry into a building to copy or steal valuable information. In this case, Black Bag is the title of director Stephen Soderbergh’s (“Erin Brockovich”) newest and possibly sharpest thriller. Starring the always enigmatic Michael Fassbender (“Shame”, “Steve Jobs”) as George Woodhouse, along with his wife Kathryn, played smartly by the always over-talented Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine”, “Tar”). Together the professional duo of husband and wife spies work together and apart depending on the job.
When agent Kathryn Woodhouse is suspected of betraying a nation, her husband is forced to show his hand by deciding to cling to his wife or his country. Sounds to me like the old saying, “For love or money.” Heck at this point, give me the dang money folks. Whoever stated money can’t buy happiness most likely never had much of it to show!
Always remember it takes a spy to hunt a spy, or so says the film’s tagline. This romance-thriller set in historic London and beyond is tightly written and is seductively acted from start to finish. Don’t go into this one expecting what you get from other spy features, as there is limited action and bombs going off. “Black Bag” is a film choice for intellectuals and true lovers of classic film styles. I couldn’t have left the movie house any more pleased than I was.
I am terrible at puzzles and I would not make anywhere near the best detective unless I was working hand in hand next to Scooby Doo. But with that being said, I was able to follow this story quite closely and appreciated it for its secretive glamour.
Also notable actress co-starring here was Marisa Abela, who starred previously as the English chanteuse Amy Winehouse in “Back to Black.” Here she plays sexy Clarissa Dubose, a gal with a naughty bag of tricks all her own. But don’t we all carry our own naughty little secrets? Do I dare ask, what are yours? Come hell or high water, I wouldn’t let you know the details of my little black book, or in this case should I say my “Black Bag.”
“Black Bag,” starring: Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett
Christopher’s “Meow” Score: “9” paws out of 10.
