Programme Notes: Black Bag
Packed with paranoia, trust is the ultimate currency. Yet, the film masterfully balances this tension with moments of dry, well-placed humour, making it as gripping as it is entertaining.
At its heart, Black Bag isn’t simply about spies – it’s about relationships. What does it mean to be truly loyal? How do we know if the people we love are who or what they say they are? These questions simmer beneath the surface as George, a seasoned intelligence officer, is assigned to uncover a security breach. The suspects? Five of his closest colleagues – including his own wife.
As George begins his investigation, navigating a labyrinth of professional and personal entanglements, the film offers a refreshing and layered take on monogamy, fidelity, and the games we play in both love and espionage.
Director Steven Soderbergh, known for his genre-bending approach, once again toys with convention. Working alongside writer David Koepp, their third collaboration for Black Bag shares the meticulous precision of their previous shared work, Kimi (2022) and Presence (2025). Still, it expands into a wider cinematic world without losing its sharp focus. It’s a spy thriller, yes, but not in the usual James Bond sense – this is a story rooted in subtlety, psychology, and razor-sharp dialogue, rather than explosive action.
Interestingly, Soderbergh hints at his influences by publishing his annual screening log. Here, one film stands out: Alfred Hitchcock’s Notorious (1946), which, like Black Bag, weaves espionage and romance together as metaphors for one another, secrecy, and trust.
Every detail in Black Bag is deliberate, and symbolism plays a crucial role – fish, for example, appear throughout the film, offering a visual motif of pursuit and misdirection.
The film boasts a rich ensemble, each character offering a unique perspective on trust, power, and manipulation.
Pierce Brosnan makes a memorable cameo as Kathryn’s enigmatic boss, a man with a taste for expensive, illegally fished omakase – a seemingly trivial detail that may or may not be another coded clue.
Naomie Harris plays Dr. Zoe Vaughan, a therapist from Blackpool working within the team of elite London cybersecurity agents. Immediately an outsider due to her background and accent, her character brings an intriguing layer to the film’s discussion on authority and belonging in a London-centric world.
Marisa Abela delivers a standout performance as Clarissa Dubose, a young agent who initially seems wide-eyed and inexperienced but proves to be far sharper than expected. Her dynamic with George and Kathryn adds both humour and intrigue, particularly in the opening scenes where she admits her intimidation by asking her date, Freddie Smalls (Tom Burke), how to act. Curiously eager about polygraph exams, we soon realise she want to prove herself and, in both of her one-on-one conversations with George, she further divulges her fascination with their marriage. While she appears to seek their wisdom, it later becomes clear that she has tricks up her sleeve, subverting assumptions about youth, inexperience, and the ability to deceive.
At a time when spy thrillers often feel predictable, Black Bag offers something fresh – and critics have been unanimously enthralled. The Independent awarded it a rare five-star review, calling it “brilliant, sexy, and as tight as a drum.” The New York Times praised its “sleek, witty” execution, while Vulture went even further, declaring, “Black Bag has renewed my faith in modern cinema.”
For those who, like me, were disappointed with Soderbergh’s Presence earlier this year, Black Bag feels like a triumphant return to form – an intelligent, playful, and deeply engaging film that keeps you guessing until the very end.