This movie is a typical John Le Carré. I can understand that some viewers find it tedious, boring or lacking tension, but then they obviously aren't that familiar with Le Carré's work.
As far as I know, he has a background in intelligence and simply describes this business the way it is in reality. It isn't like James Bond or other works of fiction, but more grounded in reality.
Despite or because of that, I have a soft spot for this film. It isn't really so much a spy thriller as it is a movie about friendship, love and doing the right thing. And like the movie shows, doing the right thing others see as correct is often pointless, it's important to do what we believe in.
This was one of only 3 movies filmed in the former USSR after the Perestroika allowed it (one other being "Red Heat"), but I think it's the one that shows us the most scenes in Soviet Russia.
We all know from movies how the America of the 80s looked, but Russia? The cities and people of that time are the secret star of this movie. Having 3 top notch actors (Connery, Pfeiffer and Brandauer) in it doesn't hurt either.
The soundtrack is subtle, but beautiful and slightly melancholic.
The story switches a few times between present and past, leaving us in the dark up until the very end.
The whole story about the state of the Soviet military becomes less and less important (we also never know if Dante isn't used by the Soviets like Barly is or if his eventual demise was murder or natural) and becomes more and more about Katya, her family and Barly. Sean Connery and Michelle Pfeiffer play this brilliantly. I would have happily watched hours more of them just being together and doing banal, everyday things. The world where the story takes place is just fascinating to me.
All in all, I give this movie a strong 7. I can understand people who don't like it or find it boring, you have to be open to it and it has to interest you.
But even just as a window into this particular time and country, I'd say it is well worth a watch. It isn't perfect, but it lulls you into a feeling of comfort; at least it did for me.
As far as I know, he has a background in intelligence and simply describes this business the way it is in reality. It isn't like James Bond or other works of fiction, but more grounded in reality.
Despite or because of that, I have a soft spot for this film. It isn't really so much a spy thriller as it is a movie about friendship, love and doing the right thing. And like the movie shows, doing the right thing others see as correct is often pointless, it's important to do what we believe in.
This was one of only 3 movies filmed in the former USSR after the Perestroika allowed it (one other being "Red Heat"), but I think it's the one that shows us the most scenes in Soviet Russia.
We all know from movies how the America of the 80s looked, but Russia? The cities and people of that time are the secret star of this movie. Having 3 top notch actors (Connery, Pfeiffer and Brandauer) in it doesn't hurt either.
The soundtrack is subtle, but beautiful and slightly melancholic.
The story switches a few times between present and past, leaving us in the dark up until the very end.
The whole story about the state of the Soviet military becomes less and less important (we also never know if Dante isn't used by the Soviets like Barly is or if his eventual demise was murder or natural) and becomes more and more about Katya, her family and Barly. Sean Connery and Michelle Pfeiffer play this brilliantly. I would have happily watched hours more of them just being together and doing banal, everyday things. The world where the story takes place is just fascinating to me.
All in all, I give this movie a strong 7. I can understand people who don't like it or find it boring, you have to be open to it and it has to interest you.
But even just as a window into this particular time and country, I'd say it is well worth a watch. It isn't perfect, but it lulls you into a feeling of comfort; at least it did for me.