JEANNE’S REVIEW

BLACK BAG is a slick spy thriller directed by two-time Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh from an exciting script written by David Koepp. Starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as George Woodhouse and Kathryn St. Jean, a devoted married couple who both work for the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in London, Soderbergh’s latest effort is a satisfying and very entertaining drama about the search for a double agent within their ranks.

George, a top-ranking operative, has been given a list of five names --- the suspects in this search --- and one of the names is Kathryn’s. George and Kathryn do not have children --- they are consumed by their jobs and their fierce loyalty to one another, to the point that they would kill to protect each other. As odd as it may seem, these two spies are truly in love.

Besides being very good at his job, George loves to cook --- and fish. To begin his assignment of finding out who the double agent is, George prepares an elaborate dinner, inviting four of their colleagues, all of whom are suspects along with Kathryn. The attendees include Freddie Smalls (Tom Burke), a fellow agent, Clarissa (Marisa Abela), an analyst and Freddie’s love interest, Dr. Zoe Vaughan (Naomie Harris), the agency’s psychiatrist, and Colonel James Stokes (Regé-Jean Page), another agent who has been sleeping with Dr. Vaughan.

George’s plan to get the information he needs is arranging sort of a truth or dare game. When the evening goes sideways, he’s really no farther ahead. And an unexpected trip to Zurich for Kathryn throws more suspicion on her. But George accepts the fact that confidential information he and Kathryn can’t share goes into their personal “black bag”.

Good espionage stories are difficult to pen, but Koepp, who is a frequent collaborator with Soderbergh, has managed to keep the audience riveted. What will George do? Will he be faithful to his wife --- or his country?

Fassbender and Blanchett make a terrific team. Not only are they both gorgeous --- so refined and fabulously stylish --- they are more than capable of establishing themselves as elite operatives in this highly secret organization. Fassbender plays George with a stoic reserve that suits the erudite spy, while Blanchett exudes the supreme confidence one would expect from an agent at her level. They are perfectly cast.

The rest of the ensemble, including Pierce Brosnan, who portrays Arthur Steiglitz, the agency’s veteran espionage expert, is phenomenal. Brosnan’s scene with Blanchett is particularly tense --- and engrossing. Each member plays their part to perfection, especially Abela, who is remarkably intriguing.

BLACK BAG has a spectacular look to it. Everything about George and Kathryn screams extremely good taste and sophistication. Relying on his past partners, production designer Phil Messina, set decorator Anna Lynch-Robinson, costume designer Ellen Mirojnick and hair and make-up designer Frances Hounsom, Soderbergh has created a spy world we might all want to inhabit.

Opinion: See It Now!

DAVID’S REVIEW

At the center of BLACK BAG is a married couple who happen to be spies at a British espionage organization. They are completely devoted to each other, but the husband is in a quandary. His wife’s name appears on a list of their colleagues, one of whom is suspected to be a traitor. But she is unaware of that fact.

Acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh has cast Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse and Cate Blanchett as Kathryn St. Jean, the married agents. In addition, Pierce Brosnan has a supporting role as Arthur Steiglitz, a crusty espionage expert.

The script by third-time Soderbergh collaborator David Koepp is challenging to follow, especially with the British accents. But we can certainly get the gist of what is happening. George hosts a dinner party with a small group of their colleagues, made up of every name on the suspect list. It is George’s responsibility to try and glean incriminating information from the guests.

To hopefully accomplish this, he introduces a game where each person at the table must make a resolution --- kind of like New Year’s Eve --- for the person to their right. This is entertaining and provides amusing anecdotes but does not resolve anything for George. Later in George’s investigation, they host a second dinner party with the same group. This time it’s a whole new game with stunning results.

The most interesting couple at the dinner parties is easily

Freddie Smalls and Clarissa Dubose. They are played by Tom Burke and Marisa Abela, and their characters reveal a lot of personal and intimate details about their relationship. Albeit not necessarily useful to George to uncover anything traitorous. George also administers a lie detector test during the film, which is one of the high points.

Koepp’s story is crammed into only 93 minutes, so viewers must pay close attention. One fascinating sequence has George homing in on a trip Kathryn makes to Switzerland. She meets a Russian operative and they converse on a public bench in Zurich. George espies this in real time --- from London using special equipment --- although he cannot hear what they are saying.

Fassbender and Blanchett portray their characters with the professionalism we’ve come to expect from them, and they definitely emulate the chemistry of a couple in love. In fact, the entire cast contributes to a riveting story. This would also include Dr. Zoe Vaughan (Naomie Harris), the agency’s psychiatrist, and another agent, Colonel James Stokes (Regé-Jean Page).

In Soderbergh and Koepp’s hands, BLACK BAG is a stylish, intellectual thriller that should keep viewers enthralled.

Opinion: See It Now!