You don’t need to be a master spy to uncover why Black Bag is a blast

by

To quote a wise Dick Grayson, “it would be so awesome, it would be so cool” if more major filmmakers stopped striving for “prestige” with every new movie they made. Imagine if Clint Eastwood had directed more films like A Perfect World rather than a bunch of forgettable uber-rigid 2010s slop about “American heroes”. The mind reels at what Quentin Tarantino could accomplish as a director if he wasn’t so boxed in by his self-imposed “ten movies” restriction. It’s so much more fun to see these established directors having fun with a variety of movies and genres. Why confine yourselves to “respectable” cinema or unnecessarily restricted filmographies?

Steven Soderbergh and his willingness to making movies until the tires fall off is a great example of what so many other legendary directors should strive to be. Even when he cranks out something like The Laundromat, Soderbergh’s dedication to exploring different genres and craftsmanship makes it a thrill to see him drop a new movie. Rather than worrying about securing a “perfect” filmography, Soderbergh’s enthusiasm for cinema has led him down so many exciting paths. His latest is the espionage thriller Black Bag, an exceedingly fun time at the movies executed with Soderbergh’s sublime skills.

Screenwriter David Koepp (reuniting with Soderbergh after working together on movies like Presence and Kimi) begins Black Bag with intelligence agent George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) walking through a club to retrieve some important information. A member of his agency is a traitor. One possible culprit for this crime? Woodhouse’s wife, fellow intelligence agent Kathryn St. Jean (Cate Blanchett), plus a handful of other important people in Woodhouse’s life. Black Bag follows Woodhouse over a week putting on a normal exterior appearance. All the while, he’s calculating whether or not he truly knows the woman he loves.

Koepp’s been a sturdy screenwriter in his 36+ year career. However, I’ve never strictly associated him with killer dialogue like Edgar Wright, Spike Lee, or Elaine May. Then again, maybe I’ve just underappreciated his gifts. This is the man, after all, who concocted Jurassic Park lines like “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should”. His Panic Room script also has some choice dialogue like “How do you live in New York and not have a single Percocet?” With Black Bag, I must say to Koepp “I owe you an apology, I wasn’t really familiar with your game.”

The initial gathering at Woodhouse’s dinner party, featuring four colleagues – Freddie Smalls (Tom Burke), Clarrisa Dubose (Marisa Abela), Dr. Zoe Vaughan (Naomie Harris), and Col James Stokes (Regé-Jean Page – is delightful due to Koepp’s engaging dialogue. The chemistry between these four characters is palpable, and their distinct personalities shine brightly from the start. Fassbender, Burke, Blanchett, and the rest of the cast seem to be relishing every juicy line they deliver. This opening scene in Black Bag not only showcases Koepp’s abilities as a screenwriter but also sets up the film as a spy thriller centered around sultry, troubled individuals exchanging quips and secrets.

If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, well then, “in some ways, you and I are very different people.” Black Bag’s central obsessions are an absolute riot, especially since it finds great use for Michael Fassbender as an actor. Fassbender’s outstanding work in Hunger, Steve Jobs, and 12 Years a Slave speak for themselves in terms of his talents. However, he also has an innate intensity that means he doesn’t work for just any role. Unfortunately, he was a big reason Next Goal Wins didn’t quite click. He always felt too abrasive for a straightforward inspirational sports film. Soderbergh and Koepp, though, find just the right outlet for his talents in George Woodhouse.

Fassbender’s portrayal of consistently clinical and cold George alternates between evoking the intimidating prowess of the T-1000 and also being the world’s #1 Wife Guy. It’s a richly compelling performance punctuated with amusing beats where Fassbender portrays George trying to emulate “normal” human behavior, like a reassuring wave to Dubose after sneaking up on her. Those bursts of dark comedy would make Jesse Plemons as Todd going “sorry for your loss” in Breaking Bad proud. Fassbender’s a hoot in Black Bag. He also epitomizes how Soderbergh’s assembled a talented cast allowed to indulge in their greatest talents.

Blanchett, for instance, effortlessly conveys an alluring aura mixed with uncertainty. You fully understand why she entrances George. That ethereal captivating air Blanchett exuded so perfectly in Carol comes in handy once again here. However, Blanchett also absorbingly keeps one at a distance on what’s inside Kathryn’s head. Meanwhile, Burke, after taking on heavier roles in The Souvenir, Furiosa, and Living, gets to revel in unabashedly slimy comedy as Freddie Smalls, a guy who just radiates corruption. Playing opposite Burke in most of his screentime is Marisa Abel, who makes for a delightfully everyday counterpoint to the film’s intense leads. Any of her scenes where she exclaims things like “oh my God, that’s so hot” to an unmoved Fassbender had me tittering like a fool.

These actors are filtered through a visual aesthetic Soderbergh firmly handles in every respect considering he’s also the cinematographer and editor. Shot on a Red V-Raptor camera, Black Bag’s visuals look crisp as heck and Soderbergh’s eye especially makes sources of lighting at either the bottom or top of the screen pop. Fluorescent lighting hovering above the Whitehouse’s and their co-workers at their place of employment, for instance, has a striking sheen. Ditto these golden-hued bulbs on the dinner table for that big conversation-heavy opening sequence involving Black Bag’s six lead characters. In the latter set piece, that lighting source, combined with the darkened room surrounding Whitehouse and company, makes it look like these dinner party attendees are under some sort of interrogation spotlight. Which, in many ways, they are.

With all due respect to Soderbergh, though, what got me even more excited than Black Bag’s visuals was the score from go-to Soderbergh collaborator David Holmes. Espionage cinema has a rich history of great film scores from folks like John Barry and Harry Mancini. Into that legacy saunters Holmes, who takes the genre into excitingly unexpected sonic directions. Black Bag tracks like “I’ve Been Played” lean heavy on the double bass with some unexpected light harp accompaniment. Other tracks like “She’s Not Selling, She’s Buying” take things in a slightly more electronic-sounding direction.

No matter where Holmes takes the Black Bag score, he delivers phenomenal work in what’s likely 2025’s first truly great film score. His compositions evoke Mancini and Holmes but excitingly uncover new possibilities in what a spy movie can sound like. Plus, his tracks are just tremendously fun to listen to. What a fitting musical accompaniment to a movie packing so much excitement and sensually tinged thrills into 94 minutes. It’s all so exquisitely crafted while delivering all the crowdpleaser goodies you could want from a spy movie. Thank goodness for Soderbergh’s commitment to directing so many movies of all shapes and sizes since it’s yielded yet another big screen winner in Black Bag.

Read More

2025-03-17 15:17