'Black Bag' is a Savy Examination of Trust
Steven Soderbergh is a versatile director. He has made heist films, a space drama, comedies, and, in this case, a spy vs. spy thriller. Black Bag has a subtlety that other spy movies don't have. It has no action. It's a Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy kind of deal. It's about conversation more than violence—well, except for some violence that's played for laughs and shocks. Soderbergh crafts an examination of honesty and betrayal.
It's a what-would-you-do film, making the audience question who's the rat until the very end. What would you do with a traitor in your ranks? Could you kill them for the good of the country? David Koepp writes a lean script about the people who are trying to keep us safe who are not able to protect each other.
The film slickly takes off in its first minute. It starts with a steady cam following the back of George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) as he comes down the street to meet someone. When he reaches his person, the camera swings around to the center, revealing George's face. It's a work of cinematography that Soderbergh does best. He operates the camera himself, knowing exactly what he wants for every single shot. George is given a list that contains the names of his wife and three other members of his agency, the National Cyber Security Centre, or NCSC. The list accuses people of potentially stealing a dangerous piece of software that's capable of killing thousands of people. When George discovers this, he decides to spy on everyone, even if it's committing treason.
Soderbergh does a grand job of setting the mood. There's a dinner scene in the first act of the film that sets the stage for the tone. George and Kathryn (Cate Blanchett) seem like the ideal married couple. They have a nice house, don't fight, and have an understanding with each other. During a casual dinner with the agents of the film, Freddie Smalls (Tom Burke) gets into an argument with Clarissa Dubose (Marisa Abela), which ends with Clarissa stabbing Freddie in the hand with a kitchen knife. Surprisingly, Freddie doesn't scream. He takes the pain like he's used to it. Nor does anyone emerge from their seats. Soderbergh sets a darkly comedic tone in a mostly serious film.
The NCSC must be a dreadful place to work at. These coworkers hate each other so much that they're getting physically violent with each other. When they're in the workplace, they're equally hostile. Sodeberge makes a movie about clashing personalities. Nobody trusts each other, and for good reason. Lives are at stake. Whoever sold the Severus software needs to be held accountable, even if that means turning your friends or lovers in. There's a great deal of hostility in the film. For instance, there's one scene where Kathryn has an appointment with the NCSC's psychiatrist, Dr. Zoe Vaughan (Naomie Harris). During their meeting, Kathyn demeans the Doctor, throwing professionalism out of the window. That explains a lot, as she's labeled as nontrustworthy.
George must decide whether to prioritize his country or his wife. Ultimately, George yields to his country. In one of the most revealing scenes, George spies on Kathryn via street cameras feeding to a satellite. The relationship dynamic between Fassbender and Blanchett is gracefully performed. Fassbender is stoic, but in a good way. You can never tell what he's feeling as he buries his emotions deep down so nobody can read him. Cate Blanchett is equally restrained as she masterfully engages each scene with a taste of sly charisma in her line delivery. The relationship between Fassbender and Blanchett is believable. They're both hard-pressed agents who don't crack easily, setting a strong foundation between the two. George thrives on never lying, yet he spied on Kathryn, never telling her what he did. Doesn't that count as a lie?
The film is slickly paced, with Soderbergh doing all the editing himself. No scene lingers on too long, and the length of the film doesn't nearly exceed two hours like many other spy films do. It's as long as it needs to be. The flick comes to a fitting conclusion with tight ends loosened up. The marriage also comes to an understanding between the two. Does George really love Kathryn? At one point in the film, before taking off for a job, Kathryn tells George at the doorway that she loves him, but he doesn't answer back.
There's no room for relationships in a spy's line of work. If the people in the British government can't trust each other, how can we trust them to defend the public? That's representative of the situation the US has with its government these days. Can we trust our intelligence agencies? Especially when they're surveilling all of us? According to Soderbergh the answer to that question isn't so simple. It all depends on what the agents are willing to sacrifice. Through a tight script, expert cinematography, and smooth pacing, Steven Soderbergh crafts an enticing thriller that's more about relationships than espionage. The plot is a little muddled. It was difficult to figure out what was going on at times. Yet, it doesn't hinder an intricate study of what love really is and the strained reliance we have on our protection agencies.
