BLACK BAG
Cinephiles are rejoicing as 2025 brought us, not one, but two new Steven Soderbergh movies at the beginning of the year. This is all from the guy who once announced he was going to retire from filmmaking. Director Steven Soderbergh won the Oscar for Traffic but has continued to shake up expectations ever since then. Black Bag is a stylish new spy film written by David Koepp. Soderbergh and Koepp also collaborated on Presence which will hit store shelves next week.
Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender play married spies, Kathryn and George Woodhouse, respectively. They’re at the top of their game when George receives intel that there may be a traitor in their core circle of friends and colleagues. To make matters worse, he learns it may be Kathryn who may have turned on the government. George has to play his hand wisely and determine whether he wants to betray his wife or the government in order to learn the truth. Naomie Harris, Rege-Jean Page, Tom Burke, and Marisa Abela play the other agents and couples in their inner circle.
Black Bag becomes a sharp game of spy versus spy for George and the audience as he picks about Kathryn’s life. Steven Soderbergh is known for his visually sharp eye behind the camera as a director, cinematographer, and editor. He has impeccable style and you feel that world-class wealth on display. This is not your standard spy film with big action spectacles, but rather an intellectual chess game between these three couples. Koepp’s screenplay keeps the narrative simple but effectively coy leading to rich performances from the actors. Cate Blanchett is effortless is never showing a full hand. You can never be too certain with what to expect from her character. Fassbender is solid casting with his poise and debonaire attitude. Marisa Abela is another stand out in the cast.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Deleted Scenes
- The Company of Talent – Go behind-the-scenes with the cast to learn about the motive, secrets, and working under with director Steven Soderbergh.
- Designing BLACK BAG – Get a look inside Steven Soderbergh’s approach to the look and aesthetic of the film from every production angle with the sets, costumes, makeup, special effects and other design elements
Here’s a video I made for TikTok
