Ebert spy game review

Robert Redford as Nathan Muir. Catherine McCormack as Elizabeth. Stephen Dillane as Charles. Reviews Spy Game. Roger Ebert November 27, Now streaming on:. Powered by JustWatch. Now playing. Roger Ebert March 30, Now streaming on:. Powered by JustWatch. Now playing. A Journal for Jordan Nell Minow. The Velvet Queen Brian Tallerico. Red Rocket Matt Zoller Seitz. Torn Matt Fagerholm. Jockey Matt Zoller Seitz. Film Credits. Latest blog posts. The wonderful actor understands what Abel and Donovan see in each other—they are both men following orders.

They are both men who refuse to take the easy way out. And they are both men who can see the bigger picture easier than most, knowing that it is the portrait that subsists, not the real man. It is the image, the record, the interpretation that goes in the history books. Suffice to say, every technical choice feels like the right one. Brian Tallerico is the Editor of RogerEbert. Rated PG for some violence and brief strong language.

Tom Hanks as James Donovan. Mark Rylance as Rudolf Abel. Austin Stowell as Francis Gary Powers. Amy Ryan as Mary Donovan. Alan Alda as Thomas Watters. Eve Hewson as Jan Donovan.

Brad Pitt is good as tough super-spy as well as sniper operative and Robert Redford 's cool displaying an enjoyable performance as the elderly and regretted CIA agent. The use of geopolitical messages to add weight to a romantic subplot between the spy and the beautiful nurse , well played by Catherine McCormack , though feels a little forced , at times. The film packs adequate , evocative cinematography by Dan Mindel and rousing musical score by Harry Gregson-Williams. The motion picture was well realized by Tony Scott.

He was a good filmmaker whose works received some great reviews , his first big hit happened when was asked by producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer to direct Top Gun starring Tom Cruise. He would work again with Cruise on another high adrenaline film Days of thunder , which proved less successful.

In , he directed the cult movie True Romance , which was written by emerging director Quentin Tarantino but Scott had a lot of control over the film. Well worth watching. Above average. The picture will appeal to Robert Redford and Brad Pitt fans. My wife and I watched it, and enjoyed every suspenseful minute of it.

I suspect there really are covert operations similar to those depicted here. But the story in 'Spy Game' does not have great substance. It is a fairly simple story of Pitt's character being imprisoned in China and about to retire Redford's character doing whatever he can think of, pull whatever covert strings he can, all the while fooling his own intelligence personnel to try and get his pupil free before he gets executed. Pitt is good, but the real reason to enjoy this movie is Redford, and he shows why he has had such a long and successful career acting.

We never find out much about the characters or their motivation, and when it ends and Redford is driving away while his bosses puzzle over what just happened, we feel a bit like we did at the end of 'The Usual Suspects'. The critic Ebert has an unusually clear and accurate review of the details of the story. On his last day, he finds out that one of his operatives, Tom Bishop Brad Pitt is in a Chinese prison awaiting execution.

After a series of meetings, in which he recounts his relationship with Bishop, including his recruitment, it occurs to him that because of an upcoming trade conference, the CIA is going to let Bishop be executed. I remember this film receiving horrific reviews when it was released. In fact, with two great stars and top direction, it's not bad at all.

There's a lot of action, and the complicated story, which could have been a muddled mess, is well told. I believe Redford is retired now, but thankfully, he had years of making wonderful contributions to film.

Quinoa 22 November Tony Scott's latest suspense film is a on and off crackerjack suspense thriller with covert ops, down to the clock thrills and other good things. Sometimes it's slow but it's never intolerable with Redford and Pitt delivering fine performances I didn't know Redford could still act this good as two spies, one retiring which is Redford, and the other Pitt is in a Chinese prison in detainment for espionage and while trying to save him in a 24 hour period Redford goes through their history together for a group of suspicious CIA types.

Some fine and definitely appropriate cinematography by Daniel Mindel and a good all around feel the atmosphere is perfect as I mentioned earlier, as that the film creates situations and scenes where your eyes don't want to wander the screen for a second in fear of missing something that could be important delivered by Scott and company; not anything that will win awards, but it is worthwhile for adults and other mature folks who might actualy go against the tide of Harry Potter and see this while the kids see that.

With just 24 hours to get him out alive, Bishop's boss Nathan Muir Robert Redford must battle enemies abroad and the system inside the CIA to save his friend. Tony Scott's "Spy Game" is a good-looking , mostly enjoyable espionage thriller; but, it fails to take full advantage of the inspired casting of Mr.

Redford with Mr. The best characterization comes from Redford's interaction with sturdy secretary Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Gladys ; she almost single-handedly gives Redford and, by extension, Pitt heart.

The timeline and character ages do not seem credible; , the most plausible year for Redford and Pitt to have met during the Vietnam War, is where the film begins, chronologically. But, Redford and Pitt haven't changed much, in appearance, in the "present" setting of - they both sport beautiful heads of Hollywood hair, though. Catherine McCormack, as Pitt's love interest, contributes to an unconvincing "love story" subplot. And, it's nice to see Larry Bryggman in feature film. Intense and riveting story directed by Tony Scott.

He is to be executed as a spy within twenty four hours. Redford must work against the agency in order to free his tortured comrade caught in the game of spying. Not a whole lot of action, but enough mind bending drama to go around. It was shown in - the same year the World Trade Center was attacked by terrorists. No stranger to the machinations of the CIA's top echelon, Muir hones all his skills and irreverent manner in order to find a way to help Bishop. As he embarks on his mission,he recalls how he recruited and trained the young Bishop, at that time a sergeant in Vietnam, their turbulent times together as operatives.

The film was masterfully directed by Tony Scott. This is one of the best films I have ever seen especially for a spy thriller. It works at all levels.

The story was suspenseful from beginning to end. It was fast paced and interesting from beginning to end. All major and minor characters were interesting.

The film has a lot of intelligence in terms of the story and characters involved. The acting was also exceptional. Overall,the film simply works at all level for it was not simply a spy thriller but it also provides us an insight on how the CIA works and the insight on an emotional spy.

Highly recommended for movie viewers who desires intelligent action thrillers. Smilie's Game: Spy the Image tedg 23 November Scott uses a style of zooming in and out by jump cuts that he developed on his last film -- also about images and the intelligence community. Lots of cameras and binoculars here. When viewing that action, the cameras are hand-held. When watching the calm, controlling scenes at headquarters, we see them more statically as they are being videotaped, often spying through blinds.

Often the images have digital tags. It seems every combination was employed among the following: ground, interior of heli, interior of second heli, front of heli, heli POV, above heli. This by itself is self-referential when you notice how many of the 'ordinary' shots are from helis. There is also a clever self-reference in the casting. Pitt was hailed as the 'new Redford' when he appeared in 'Thelma and Louise,' by brother Ridley.

Then in 'River Runs' he was directed by Redford, in a Redfordlike role, underscoring the relationship. Here, he also is mentored, but in my opinion outacts Redford at every turn. I believe Scott intended to use Redford's limits as a tired actor to the advantage of this reference.

Pitt has been working hard in relatively minor but challenging roles and the results show. The only real complaints are the clumsy plot mechanics: the last day before retirement -- a clear 24 hour to doom clock -- a wily and complete outwitting of the pencilnecks -- all the CIA analysts and technicians as outwittable dimmies -- a senior character says 'get everything we have on so and so' and 10 seconds later a secretary appears with the files in multiple copies -- a helicopter is shot down: it disappears behind the trees and then we see a fireball.

Fortunately we gloss over all that stuff. Couldn't in 'Enemy of the State.