"When intelligence agent Kathryn Woodhouse is suspected of betraying the nation, her husband - also a legendary agent - faces the ultimate test of whether to be loyal to his marriage, or his country." 

OUR MOVIE REVIEW:

You are invited for a night of games at George and Catherine’s! Though, this isn’t Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf; it’s a brand new game. One where all players’ secrets, lies, fears and desires all spill out. This is Black Bag. There is a mole amongst us, one who plans to launch plans that can and will kill millions. There are five suspects. One of them included George’s wife, Catherine. Now, George, perhaps the best at what he does, is going to find out just who it is in just one week or everything will start to crumble. Steven Soderbergh gives us his second film this year after Presence, which is also screen written by David Koepp, and Black Bag might just be my favorite from Soderbergh in quite a long time.

Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett are our lead couple for the brisk and short film and the other suspects are played by Marisa Abela, Regé-Jean Page, Tom Burke and Naomi Harris. The film feels classical script wise, directing wise and even acting wise at points, but it’s an absolute cut above. It’s talky and theatrical, but it’s also so compelling just how George’s long and patient game with his five suspects plays out. Michael Fassbender is cold and frigid, but also has this awkward and cute style to the way he carries George, Cate Blanchett is electric as always, and The four supporting suspects all shine in their respective ways, with Marisa Arbela being the standout of those four. 

Though Black Bag through and through feels very classical, Soderbergh finds a way to push the medium forward and deliver invigorating, eclectic scenes. It’s so brisk and short, but it’s also extremely thorough and satisfying. In ways it’s romantic and funny, and in others it’s thrilling and intense. Not to mention, some of the best editing we’ve gotten from this decade. Black Bag is that movie you say they don’t make them like anymore, but it’s also so much more.