Cinema Travelogue

Black Bag is the second film from Steven Soderbergh that received a theatrical release this year. Starring Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbinder with a dynamic ensemble cast including Naomi Harris, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, and Regé-Jean Page as an ensemble of spies entangled within a murderous conspiracy that threatened the world. In the opening shot that follows Fassbinder’s George down an underground pub and out again to be given a list of suspects to have likely leaked a top secret weapon – in the fashion of GoodFellas – other than the reveal that one of the suspects is his wife Kathryn, who served in the same intelligence service, the most conspicuous aspect for me was the glares that look a lot like what I would get when taking pictures using an old iPhone SE covered by finger smudges.

Closer to a dark comedy about the uncanny strength of monogamy than an erotic Mr. & Mrs. Smith thriller the premise would suggest, Black Bag is a mixed bag of intrigues that take the long way around but ultimately does not get home fully intact. The most intriguing aspect in many great films about marriage is the idea that one can never truly comprehend their partner and there will always be gaps and mysteries between them. In thrillers, this mystery can serve as the fuel for the plot engine. This starts off as a thriller of this type but more in the professional realm than the personal, the actors are very proud of the movie star charm they can bring to the table, as the best scene even takes place in the movie theatre where they observe each other’s actions. Although the reason why two intelligent professionals would be intrigued enough to go see a seemingly cheaply-made horror movie remains questionable other than the plot said so.

A large portion of the film does not feel like a two-hander at all but an ensemble piece of well-dressed, deeply serious secret agents doing deeply unserious stuff. About how under their semblances of professionalism, they are just horny people with a bunch of relationship and religious problems. About how their agency’s rule of no outside dating has basically turned the whole place into a sex hub. All very goofy stuff. It eventually reaches closer to a farcical Agatha Christie whodunnit than a battle between the main couple.

Michael Fassbinder is very good at portraying this cold professionalism realizing he’s actually a human schtick that he pulled off so well in The Killer – his facial expression during the meeting where he realized he’s messed up is iconic meme material. As with any film he’s in, Tom Burke steals every scene he’s in with a very distinct charisma that is being weaponized as a force of comedy here.

I don’t think the film lives up to its full potential. This is kind of the opposite of something biting off more than it can chew where it just does not have as much bite as it should’ve had. The dynamic between Fassbinder and Blanchett is a lot more tepid than the combination of their acting abilities. Once the movie reveals its hand, both of their personas serve no additional purpose than fulfilling the necessity of the plot. Put that in contrast with the stake of their mission, this whole thing functions more as an impersonal, delightful farce that suggests your partner may not be as esoteric as you imagined.