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Tony Scott month: Spy Game

A review by Brooks Rich

This is kind of a forgotten film Friday in the middle of the week. Spy Game is a fantastic film and would work as a double feature with Enemy of the State. Both films deal with the corruption and back room dealings of intelligence agencies. Enemy of the State is probably a little more heightened than Spy Game is but they do go hand in hand. Our government has ulterior motives and will betray their own people to cover themselves. Spy Game simply tells this kind of story from within the agency.

The film takes place in 1991. Brad Pitt plays CIA asset Tom Bishop, who is captured by the People's Liberation Army of China during an unsanctioned mission. Bishop is to be executed in 24 hours unless the US government claims him.  The CIA calls in his former mentor and soon to be retired Nathan Muir, played by the legendary Robert Redford. Muir suspects the CIA is looking to burn Bishop to protect a major trade agreement between China and the United States so he must do everything he can to get Bishop out.

This is a great spy film with an outstanding performance from Redford. Not only do we have the story of Muir trying to get Bishop out of but we also have flashbacks to Muir recruiting Bishop and training him. The training scenes are fantastic and Scott always finds interesting ways to show the spy craft. Redford adds gravitus to the character of the veteran spy. He's played characters like this before so we completely buy him as Muir.

This film is gorgeous. Scott shoots the shit out of this film. This is one of his best looking films and the camera work is incredible. Very few Tony Scott films have poor camera. In fact I'll argue all but one of his films look fantastic. Scott always had talented DP's and it shows. Full credit for Spy Game's look goes to cinematographer Dan Mindel, who also shot Enemy of the State and Domino.

The enemy of this film is bureaucracy. Muir faces his greatest threat from within his own agency and those above him trying to leave Bishop to the wolves. Scott crafts a masterful story about espionage here. This is one you must see for the story. Every story beat is fascinating and its a shame its sort of forgotten. Track down Spy Game.


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