Steven Soderbergh has a style with his filmmaking that’s often imitated but never truly replicated. One of the prominent figures of the early 90s indie film movement has a signature look recognized by many cinephiles. His movies align with realistic dialogue that’s cleaver and poignant with hints of cheeky humor and tonally shot akin to a jazzy bebop session with enough coolness to wear shades in a dimly light room. The filmmaker’s filmography has been eclectic all these years, but he’s returned to his spy thriller ways with his latest movie, Black Bag.
Thankfully, the movie is a reminder of why Soderbergh is such a staple in cinema today and why the director is only getting better with age.
Black Bag, directed by Soderbergh and written by David Koepp, is a more realistic but still comedic take on the spy life. The film follows Intelligence Agent George Woodhouse, played by Michael Fassbender. George is led to believe that his wife, Katheryn St. Jean, played by Cate Blanchett, might be selling secrets to the highest bidder. The couple’s strong marriage is pushed to the limit when other fellow spies, terrorists, and a government-sanctioned secret weapon become part of the equation.
It’s kind of like 2005’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith but with less action, more witty banter, and cooler characters.
Black Bag is the third collaboration between Soderbergh and Koepp, and the two are finally synced in one another’s style. The script is the most substantial part of the film. There are layers within the dialogue between characters that slowly reveal their motivations that are cleverly laid out. A strong example is the dining scene in the first act. Woodhouse uses a dinner party with his wife and colleagues to sniff out the traitor.
Woodhouse starts the game of manipulation, and slowly, each dinner guest gives pieces of themselves up and telegrams their flaws and eventual downfall. It’s downright brilliant and feels like a f**d-up version of Clue with hints of a Jerry Springer episode. It doesn’t stop there, as the script shows how the spy game affects people psychologically and their relationships.
An extreme level of paranoia goes along in the spy world, and Black Bag also explores that. Koepp’s writing opts out from making that a scary or sad notion but makes it somewhat relatable in today’s dating world. Many of the characters begin to conclude that a healthy relationship is not in the cards for them, and Koepp dissects that in humorous ways. I laughed many times throughout these moments and could see Koepp’s underlying message. Speaking of which, Soderberg uses that and the clues to the movie’s twist reveal to his advantage.
Soderbergh uses Koepp’s script to make Black Bag worth a rewatch. Numerous times, certain clues or dialogue were led down a path that led to one of many possible reveals. They were expertly laid out throughout the movie and gave me several “oh s**t moments.” This type of storytelling has always been associated with Soderbergh, the Ocean Eleven trilogy, but it’s something that the director does so well. Additionally, it doesn’t hurt that the filmmaker continues to make the scene, setting, and everyone look like an updated French New Wave/Noir film that’s pleasing to watch.
The only fault with the movie is that sometimes, the discourse can be too much or fast-paced. A few times, Black Bag threw too much information at me, and I found myself lost. Furthermore, it causes the story beats to get a bit confusing when one scene jumps to the next, and the movie expects you to keep up. Yet, Black Bag sometimes allowed me some breathing room to catch up. Honestly, your miles may vary in these situations.
Black Bag is an excellent example of when the director and the writer are hitting their marks. Soderbergh and Koepp’s creative partnership continues to grow, and I can’t wait to see their next project together. The stacked cast was able to devour their roles in a fantastic way that brought all their performances to an ‘A’ level tier. The film is a reminder that these R-rated films with well-known actors and directors need to make a comeback. Also, the hour and thirty-three-minute runtime is a much-welcomed “chef’s kiss.”