Justin Chang

Fun and games.

Fun and games.

With any luck. The four dinner guests are a compelling group, in part because they, too, are romantically paired off, which makes the whole evening play a bit like a John le Carre rewrite of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

With any luck. The four dinner guests are a compelling group, in part because they, too, are romantically paired off, which makes the whole evening play a bit like a John le Carre rewrite of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

With any luck. The four dinner guests are a compelling group, in part because they, too, are romantically paired off, which makes the whole evening play a bit like a John le Carre rewrite of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Tom Burke plays Freddy, a longtime agent whose reputation for drinking and philandering makes him a volatile match for Clarissa, a smart young data expert played by Marisa Abella. Regé-Jean Page, of Bridgerton fame, plays an ambitious young agent named James, who's in a similarly stormy relationship with Dr. Zoe Vaughn, the agency's psychiatrist.

Tom Burke plays Freddy, a longtime agent whose reputation for drinking and philandering makes him a volatile match for Clarissa, a smart young data expert played by Marisa Abella. Regé-Jean Page, of Bridgerton fame, plays an ambitious young agent named James, who's in a similarly stormy relationship with Dr. Zoe Vaughn, the agency's psychiatrist.

Tom Burke plays Freddy, a longtime agent whose reputation for drinking and philandering makes him a volatile match for Clarissa, a smart young data expert played by Marisa Abella. Regé-Jean Page, of Bridgerton fame, plays an ambitious young agent named James, who's in a similarly stormy relationship with Dr. Zoe Vaughn, the agency's psychiatrist.

She's in the mildly kinky position of knowing everyone's intimate secrets, some of them, anyway. Zoe is played by Naomi Harris, who was Moneypenny in the last three James Bond movies. That's not the only 007 tie-in. Look out for Pierce Brosnan in a key supporting role as a glowering agency head. Black Bag has its share of Bond-style globetrotting intrigue.

She's in the mildly kinky position of knowing everyone's intimate secrets, some of them, anyway. Zoe is played by Naomi Harris, who was Moneypenny in the last three James Bond movies. That's not the only 007 tie-in. Look out for Pierce Brosnan in a key supporting role as a glowering agency head. Black Bag has its share of Bond-style globetrotting intrigue.

She's in the mildly kinky position of knowing everyone's intimate secrets, some of them, anyway. Zoe is played by Naomi Harris, who was Moneypenny in the last three James Bond movies. That's not the only 007 tie-in. Look out for Pierce Brosnan in a key supporting role as a glowering agency head. Black Bag has its share of Bond-style globetrotting intrigue.

There's a mysterious murder, a brief car explosion, and a nail-biter of a secret mission to Zurich. But at heart, it isn't really an action movie. It's a marital dramedy masquerading as an espionage thriller. Or maybe it's the other way around. Either way, it's a witty, sexy riff on themes of loyalty and betrayal, in relationships as well as on the geopolitical stage.

There's a mysterious murder, a brief car explosion, and a nail-biter of a secret mission to Zurich. But at heart, it isn't really an action movie. It's a marital dramedy masquerading as an espionage thriller. Or maybe it's the other way around. Either way, it's a witty, sexy riff on themes of loyalty and betrayal, in relationships as well as on the geopolitical stage.

There's a mysterious murder, a brief car explosion, and a nail-biter of a secret mission to Zurich. But at heart, it isn't really an action movie. It's a marital dramedy masquerading as an espionage thriller. Or maybe it's the other way around. Either way, it's a witty, sexy riff on themes of loyalty and betrayal, in relationships as well as on the geopolitical stage.

The story unfolds as a series of teasingly intimate one-on-one conversations, in which secrets, lies, red herrings, and revelations are dished out. It's been a while since I've seen an ensemble of actors this deliciously in sync. There's an almost promiscuous energy to the way the story keeps pairing the characters off, in new and surprising configurations.

The story unfolds as a series of teasingly intimate one-on-one conversations, in which secrets, lies, red herrings, and revelations are dished out. It's been a while since I've seen an ensemble of actors this deliciously in sync. There's an almost promiscuous energy to the way the story keeps pairing the characters off, in new and surprising configurations.

The story unfolds as a series of teasingly intimate one-on-one conversations, in which secrets, lies, red herrings, and revelations are dished out. It's been a while since I've seen an ensemble of actors this deliciously in sync. There's an almost promiscuous energy to the way the story keeps pairing the characters off, in new and surprising configurations.

Fassbender and Abella have a few chaste but scintillating scenes together. and there's an extraordinary sequence in which Catherine goes in for a therapy session with Zoe, a battle of wits for which both Blanchett and Harris are exceedingly well equipped. In the end, though, it's Catherine and George who hold our attention the most.

Fassbender and Abella have a few chaste but scintillating scenes together. and there's an extraordinary sequence in which Catherine goes in for a therapy session with Zoe, a battle of wits for which both Blanchett and Harris are exceedingly well equipped. In the end, though, it's Catherine and George who hold our attention the most.

Fassbender and Abella have a few chaste but scintillating scenes together. and there's an extraordinary sequence in which Catherine goes in for a therapy session with Zoe, a battle of wits for which both Blanchett and Harris are exceedingly well equipped. In the end, though, it's Catherine and George who hold our attention the most.