Spy Game

Tony Scott's bravura spy thriller, whose predatory and dynamic pacing precisely matches the shakily unpredictable world of the clandestine services. The stunning narrative style, which maps out previous important missions alongside the current storyline and gradually fleshes out a complete picture of the close relationship between two key agents, is almost perfect under Scott's direction. The execution itself and especially the use of camera filters, including all the other visual flourishes, is very reminiscent of the best of the 90s, which warms the heart twice over. [85%] (02/07/2022)

Robert Redford sits down in his office at the beginning and, reminiscing about the espionage adventures he experienced with his partner Brad Pitt, doesn’t get up again for the rest of the film. With its sophisticated main characters and without a proper amount of action, Spy Game is a mosaic of flashbacks that thinks it’s enough to have an intelligently written screenplay to be appealing. And that’s a mistake. Drawing so much of the viewer’s attention to an overwrought 130-minute screenplay that doesn’t in any way really reward me… That’s a game I’m not willing to play. (05/21/2002)

It’s been a long time since I saw Spy Game for the first time. It was at a time when I was terribly biased against Tony Scott. I was bothered by the way he told his stories, where if you miss a second, you immediately get lost in the plot. Or at least I have always felt like that. I actually felt the same way about Spy Game. But I decided to try my best with this movie and I must say that it made me happy in all respects. The story is realistic; it reminds me a bit of French films from the seventies. Robert Redford and Brad Pitt deliver great performances and it’s a pleasure to watch them. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the scene in Berlin where Redford trains Brad and sends him to an absolutely unknown balcony. This wonderful scene and their friendship are a true joy to watch. (08/20/2013)

An amazing old-school gem that beautifully recreates the late 80s-early 90s with a fantastic Robert Redford, a few creative script tricks, and numerous fabulous dialogues and situations. The thing to appreciate about this film is that Tony Scott put everything here. It is truly a "Game", nothing more, nothing less. Tremendously entertaining and attractive. (04/16/2013)

I can have all the reservations I want about the script, but the fact is that Scott is an excellent craftsman, his direction is dynamic, and the plot moves forward quickly. That's why the two hours went by like water and I didn't have the feeling of plot fragmentation thanks to the frequent flashbacks. I must also praise the production design, the realities of Beirut with streets full of chaos looked really convincing. And the actors? Redford is still awesome and a great actor, even at his age, and Pitt is just Pitt. Again, he didn't forgo his typical acting mannerisms in places, but he won't change. All in all, an above average thriller, but only for one viewing. Three and a half stars. (03/18/2004)