Black Bag Review: I’ve Fallen Hard For Steven Soderbergh’s Sexy And Surprisingly Fun Play On The Spy Game

Once upon a time, Steven Soderbergh was on tap to direct what would eventually become Guy Ritchie’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E., with George Clooney starring. While that project eventually shifted into a new (but still stellar) direction, that “what if” scenario is one that still rolls around in my mind. It’s going to continue to vex me now that I’ve seen the director’s new spy romp Black Bag, as the unexpected but welcomed presence of dark and witty humor amplifies what writer David Koepp’s taut thriller has to offer.

The set up for Black Bag is beautifully simple. Married couple George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) and Kathryn St. Jean (Cate Blanchett) are devoted to two things: their marriage and their career as government spies.

Both are put to the test when a list of suspects in the theft of a top secret malware known as Severus goes missing. Woven into this tangled web are two couples they work with, each having their own quirks and proclivities that could point towards potential involvement.

With the clock ticking, and their terminally irate boss Arthur Stieglitz (Pierce Brosnan) constantly demanding answers, George and Kathryn will have to keep a closer eye on their colleagues, but especially each other. That playing field was primed to make Black Bag something that was totally my bag, but its the surprises within that really made me appreciate this breath of fresh air in the espionage realm.

Black Bag is a smooth and sexy thriller that surprises with a healthy dose of sharp wit.

I absolutely did not expect Black Bag to be as cleverly funny as it is, and that’s honestly my own fault. Steven Soderbergh is a director that loves to experiment with the line between comedy and drama, as we’ve seen in less successful executions such as The Informant! and The Laundromat. With that baggage in tow, I cannot complain about how the balance was struck in writer David Koepp’s third teaming with the Ocean’s Eleven director. My expectation of a terminally moribund dissection of marriage, trust, and duty gave way to a well-dressed spy story that also possesses the wit of that heist movie.

A scene involving George’s clandestine surveillance of Kathryn during a satellite handover is still a tense affair that has a literal countdown clock in play. But what makes the Black Bag difference is the fact that SigInt expert/bad girl Clarissa (Marissa Abela) also uses the opportunity to attempt to flirt with her older co-worker.

While I’m loathe to support people that march onto social media with the declaration that we should “Make more 90 minute movies!” Black Bag is a case I’d make for that length being a perfect fit. Clocking in at 93 minutes with credits, Soderbergh and Koepp’s collaboration glides into its entrance and exit, and doesn’t lose a step at any point along the way.

Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett anchor a solid cast of talent, with all participants delivering multi-faceted portrayals.

As a contrast to the wide ranging scope of a James Bond movie, Black Bag is a relatively contained affair – both in its settings and its cast. Six of the seven top billed stars are the main focus, with some players weaving in and out when the occasion calls for it. And save for a couple scenes focused on a field operation, we’re mostly focused on the personnel at hand.

Every scene carries new clues and revelations that clarify the puzzle with which we’re presented, helping us try to suss out who the mysterious mole is. Though I have to admit that when it came to Black Bag’s plot, I didn’t spend too much time trying to work ahead, as I was having too much fun in the moment.

Case in point: there’s a briefing scene where a character is acting out of sorts, and they clearly dominate the focus on the scene for a good stretch of time. Part of me was questioning that aspect, but another portion was focused on how Pierce Brosnan’s Stieglitz was laying out the mission details, peppered with choice expletives and an exasperated tone of voice.

The same goes for Marisa Abela, as the previously mentioned flirtation between Clarissa and George extends to a polygraph scene with some very personal questions. A breakup scene between Regé-Jean Page and Naomie Harris opts for blunt comedy instead of any sort of upset, and Tom Burke’s sloppy spy gets to play some prime hands of observational contributions.

At the center of all of this is Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, who are a perfect fit in this devilish wilderness of mirrors. Equally cool and commanding, they flawlessly sell their marriage and the strife that is put upon it during this trying time. Though George and Kathryn are visually depicted as a conservatively passionate couple, you can still feel the heat coming from their dialogue in the bedroom-based scenes.

Black Bag is a prime example of pastiche being used to create a project that sparkles alongside the sources it borrows.

I feel sorry for Steven Soderbergh in a sense, as Black Bag is such a resounding success that people are going to want him to throw his hat in the ring for 007’s next outing. (This concern is amplified in the best way possible thanks to a moment of the climax feeling like a nod to Daniel Craig’s debut in Casino Royale.) I wouldn’t say no to that possibility, but at the same time, the influences in this marvelous movie run so much deeper.

George Woodhouse is John Le Carre’s George Smiley from Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, but in a marriage that seems way more solid. David Koepp’s mystery is a playfully acidic Agatha Christie riff, right down to its bookended dinner party scenes being the main playground for solving this enigma. And with composer Dave Holmes reuniting with his Ocean’s Trilogy director, the score perches perfectly on the fence between those two influences with electronic infused glee.

I hate that Bond 26 is in what seems like an indefinite holding pattern about as much as I curse losing out on what could have been Steven Soderbergh’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E. At the same time, those concerns aren’t so pressing after seeing Black Bag, as I’m already ready for seconds from this deliciously duplicitous dinner party. All movie-goers looking for some “fun and games” in the world of spies shouldn’t hesitate to accept this mission, as the pay off is much more than promised.