The Secret Agent
The movie title kind of does a disservice to the moviegoer, as “The Secret Agent” is extremely slow and the payoff does not warrant all the buildup. It’s actually more of an anti-spy movie, and if you knew that going into it, and that the title was more ironic, maybe you’d fare differently. But even still, the movie is a bit of a slog. However, there’s still merit here. Wagner Moura is worth the price of admission, at least for the cinephiles. Narcos has forever made me a fan of his, and this movie showcases why he needs to be more front and center in cinema. If you’re not a movie sicko, or sorely lacking on your Brazilian history, you’re fine to miss this one.
-Z
Another year, another somber film about the state of Brazil in the ‘70s. I enjoyed last year’s I’m Still Here much more than this, but this story is definitely unique, and the ending is really something to ponder. Wagner Moura is absolutely fantastic in the leading role. My main complaint is the length - many of the opening and middle scenes felt unnecessarily drawn out - it took some effort for me to stay focused. Still, I’m sure this will get some well-deserved Oscar nominations.
-E
This is a movie that will win awards, but I don’t know if I agree. My biggest gripe is I think it was a hard story to follow at the beginning, and was about an hour too long. I am starting to feel a certain way about foreign films; either one of the best films I have ever seen or a slow burn that I can recognize its greatness, but it isn’t terribly fun to watch and there is no inbetween. This is for the cinephiles, other than that I would vote skip.
-J
