Cate Blanchett can do anything. It’s her world, and we’re all just living in it. This is where I came to Black Bag. Full film nerd disclosure: this critic is shamefully under-viewed as it relates it modern directorial titan Steven Soderbergh. This is something I need to remedy. However, there was something so incredibly cool about this trailer. Something effortless … and much of it had to do with Cate Blanchett and co-lead Michael Fassbender. Is Black Bag the sexy adult spy thriller we desperately need right now? Or should this one just take a cyanide pill?
About Black Bag
Intelligence agent George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) is plunged into drama when his wife (Blanchett) is suspected of betraying her country. Can George remain loyal to his nation while also saving his marriage? Tom Burke, Marisa Abela, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Pierce Brosnan co-star in the movie. Steven Soderbergh directs Black Bag from a script by David Koepp.
If one thing leaps out right from the beginning, it’s just how stacked with star power Black Bag really is. This film shines brightest when this fiercely talented cast can play off each other. These performers gel seamlessly, and their tight and intriguing chemistry is a thing of beauty.
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These actors sink their teeth into Koepp’s in-depth and complicated story. Black Bag is deceptive. On the surface, Koepp’s script is a complicated espionage thriller. At the same time, though, there’s more to this narrative. Everything we think the script is about is, in truth, a “MacGuffin.” The plot really doesn’t matter here. Black Bag is far more interesting when it looks at this fascinating world and the colorful cast of characters populating it.
Heck, even the film’s title plays into this. Black Bag is the code the characters use when something is classified. It’s the character’s way of telling someone, “You don’t get to know that information.” It seems we (the audience) aren’t “in” on what’s happening in this story either. We just get to see the riveting results.
Midway through the film, Clarissa (Abela) delivers an unflinching line, “When you can lie about everything, when you can deny everything, how can you tell the truth about anything?” This, friends, is what Black Bag aims to explore. How can these spies live normal lives? With difficulty, apparently.
Black Bag keeps the audience on the outside looking in and this is going to frustrate some. The film’s conclusion is a tight, tense acting feast. At the same time, though, we see just how much is kept from the audience. Those not invested in the movie’s aesthetic might feel left out in the cold as much of the narrative work is done in a final reveal. It’s tough to track the mystery.
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This meaty script forces the actors to carry much of the narrative flow. In fact, as I write this, it feels borderline impossible to call out performances because they’re all a joy to watch. Michael Fassbender is mysterious and captivating as George. This man is stoic. His finely tuned facade is stone-cold, and his upper lip is stiff. We don’t see who this man is until he’s with his wife. This is when his facade finally comes down and his charisma with the always amazing Blanchett leaps off the screen.
I would be shirking my responsibilities, though, if I discussed performances without mentioning Marisa Abela for her work as Clarissa. The young actress takes a potentially thankless role and ends up stealing a number of the movie’s most memorable moments. Abela easily stands toe to toe with Fassbender and their work together leads to some of Black Bag‘s most chuckle-worthy scenes.
The characters are only as good as the world they populate. Soderbergh melds beautifully with his creative team in bringing this striking environment to life. Throughout the film, Soderbergh (who is also billed as the cinematographer) employs a bright, almost dreamlike cinematography that allows the opulent, London-based sets to radiate a beautiful life.
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When all is said and done, Black Bag is a rare gem. This is a movie for grown-ups. David Koepp crafts a complex and layered script that lets its creatives do the talking. It’s not big, it’s not loud. In fact, it’s hard to actually call this one a thriller. However, Black Bag is biting. It’s whip-smart and it was an absolute joy to actually have to find meaning in a movie and listen to what it had to say. Let’s have lots more of this.
Black Bag opens in theaters around the country on March 14, 2025.
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