Somebody’s been selling secrets to the enemy, and intelligence agent George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) is tasked with identifying—and eliminating—the culprit. His boss (Pierce Brosnan) hands him a list of five likely suspects. There’s just one complication: one of them is his beloved wife, Kathryn (Cate Blanchett).
That’s the setup for Black Bag, the latest film from über-director Steven Soderbergh. Think of it as a more intellectual Mr. & Mrs. Smith, with far more puzzle-solving and far less gunplay. The film’s hook lies in its razor-sharp interpersonal exchanges. Every scene plays out like a master-level chess match, but with deadlier stakes. The dialogue is witty, snitty, and sharp—the kind of thing Soderbergh can craft in his sleep, often better than anyone else.
Every performance glitters like Oscar gold. Fassbender’s George is as calculating as Sherlock Holmes but with a chilling, near-clinical detachment. Blanchett inhabits the role of the suave, enigmatic Kathryn as if she’s never played anyone else. And casting Brosnan as the intelligence chief? Inspired. The moment he appears on screen, his past as James Bond lends him instant credibility. The rest of the cast is just as engaging, each player magnetic in their own right.
And yet, for all its strengths, the film has one glaring issue—a shocker, given the talent involved. The plot is so convoluted and contrived that it’s nearly impossible to follow. Screenwriter David Koepp, a veteran of Hollywood blockbusters including Jurassic Park and Mission: Impossible, usually knows how to craft a taut, compelling narrative. At least he and the other writers do. This time, however, he’s flying solo, and it shows.
The story kicks off with an intimate dinner party, where George gathers all five suspects. Wait—he just happens to know them all personally? That’s… convenient. Not only that, but the other four are also romantically linked to each other? What are the odds? Pretty high, apparently. Halfway through the film, I was still trying to piece together the relationships, only to discover they all work in the same intelligence branch. That certainly would have been helpful to know from the start.
And yet, despite the narrative gymnastics, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. The crackling dialogue pairs perfectly with the stunning sets, sounds and scenery. The balance between intrigue and action is spot-on, delivered by a cast of seasoned professionals at the top of their game. One thing’s for sure—every dinner party I attend from now on is bound to feel hopelessly dull by comparison.
