Tonight's Movie: Black Bag (2025)

I've watched quite a number of crime and suspense films recently, so it seemed like perfect timing to finally catch up with a more recent film from my watch list, BLACK BAG (2025).

I'd heard good things about this film about married spies, and it proved to be quite an entertaining, well-done movie.

George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) and Kathryn St. Jean (Cate Blanchett) are married British spies. They are very much in love, which makes things complicated when George's superior Philip (Gustaf Skarsgard) tasks George with finding a security leak in his group -- and one of the possible suspects is Kathryn.

George only has a week to solve the leaker's identity, or thousands of people could die. The other suspects include Freddie (Tom Burke), who was recently passed over for a promotion; James (Rege-Jean Page), who got the promotion; and their significant others, Clarissa (Marisa Abela) and Zoe (Naomie Harris), who also have significant roles at the spy agency.

When Philip suddenly dies of a heart attack, things become even more dire. Who would want Philip dead? And what has agency boss Arthur (Pierce Brosnan) been up to, anyway?

94 minutes fly by thanks to excellent performances, a sharp screenplay by David Koepp, and direction by Steven Soderbergh (OUT OF SIGHT). Soderbergh also did the cinematography, billed under the name Peter Andrews.

I found Fassbender particularly attractive and interesting in this role. His "average guy" looks belie a man of high intelligence and nerve who can be quite ruthless -- indeed, he rather enjoys the hunt and the prospect of finding solutions to puzzles.

George is also completely devoted to Kathryn, making clear in one scene that if Kathryn has gotten herself into trouble, he will get her out of it; she is his one non-negotiable in life.

Kathryn's feelings are initially slightly more ambiguously presented, at least until the movie's stunning climax. Kathryn, like George, enjoys the hunt, is quick with a gun, and is completely devoted to her husband.

The rest of the cast all are excellent sketching their roles, and erstwhile James Bond Brosnan does a good job playing the rather annoying spy boss.

In a nutshell, we very much need more movies like this one: A relatively "small" film which is short, visually attractive, and well-scripted, with an interesting cast and performances. If only!

I watched this film on Blu-ray. It's also available on DVD.

Parental Advisory: This film is rated R for language and some violence. I found the rating accurate; the film is for mature viewers.

The trailer may be viewed here.

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