KT 105: Black Bag (Steven Soderbergh, 2025)
Jamie reviews Soderbergh's second film of the year
Black Bag
Steven Soderbergh, 2024
DCP Courtesy: Universal
Classification: M
Screening in both arthouse and multiplex screens
Words by Jamie Walsh
If you scroll through Soderblog, the personal website of director Steven Soderbergh, you will discover that the black and white image of Illya Kuryakin is a permanent fixture of the bottom right corner. Kuryakin, the blonde-bobbed Russian spy played by Scottish actor David McCallum in 60’s television series The Man From U.N.C.L.E, acts as a sort of mascot for the site. A few clicks will take you to “Wild About Harry”, a blog post in which Soderbergh waxes lyrical on the Harry Palmer franchise, a late sixties film series which offered itself as an anti-establishment “Rolling Stones” alternative to James Bond’s “Beatles” (despite producer Harry Saltzman being responsible for both series). Michael Caine starred as Palmer, an agent with a permanently put-upon expression tucked away behind a pair of thick black glasses. Finishing the article will lead you to a hour long mash-up of the Palmer films that Soderbergh spliced together to play as background imagery for a dinner party (how much time does the man have?). All the while Illya keeps a stern eye on your progress, gun in hand.
Spies clearly mean something to Soderbergh – understandable for a director who loves to play in the gulf between what people say they desire and what truly makes them tick. A director with the reputation and toolkit of an auteur but the taste and craft instincts of a journeyman (think along the lines of old studio pro’s like John Huston or Howard Hawks), Black Bag is Soderbergh’s first attempt to make an out-and-out spy film. However, the way the genre’s iconography and double dealings have bled into his previous work can often make the film feel like a retreat to familiar ground. The big-name leads, lack of formal tricks, and punchy, date-night rhythms of David Koepp’s screenplay make it clear Soderbergh is after a hit in the vein of his Ocean’s series. Despite its theatrical release, Black Bag feels calibrated towards extending its half-life on streaming. Maintaining a cover of anonymity may be how a spy lives or dies, but the fact that a tentpole spy film has to be similarly non-descript feels particularly dispiriting.
George and Kathryn Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett) have a marriage that their coworkers puzzle over; how can these two spies sustain a committed relationship in a profession built upon deception? Fidelity has eluded their fellow agents, one of whom can’t help but admit “how easy it is to cheat” when so many indiscretions can be hidden with two words – Black Bag – a code that signifies that something has been classified by the shadowy British secret service for which they work. Naturally, George and Kathryn’s commitment is put to the test almost immediately when fellow agent Meacham (Gustaf Skarsgard) reveals to George that there is a mole at the agency - and Kathryn is amongst the five suspects.
The other suspects are also in relationships too – though ones built on less firm foundations than George and Kathryn’s. Surveillance whiz Marrisa (Clarrisa Dubose) and underperforming agent Freddie (Tom Burke) share a strained relationship with monogamy and each other. Psychologist Zoe (Naomie Harris) and haughty young Colonel James (Regè-Jean Page) have cooled on each other so thoroughly they seemed to be coupled up only to continue sniping at each other. George organises a dinner for the three couples, so as to throw a stone and “watch the ripples”. What follows is a Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf styled explosion of domesticity, where catching the mole is of secondary concern to figuring out who is porking who.
Soderbergh appears on the director's commentary for Mike Nichols 1966 film adaptation of Virginia Woolf alongside Nichols himself. Midway through, Soderbergh offers up the theory that the key to a successful production of the material is understanding that whilst George and Martha’s relationship appears toxic, their twisted games require a trust and deeper understanding built on a genuine unbreakable love for each other. Nichols agrees, in as many words. That Fassbender's character is named George is no small coincidence, though its allusions are multi-pronged; there is the Virginia Woolf connection, and shades of Richard Burton come through in Fassbender’s reserved performance, though Burton was never quite so sober, literally or figuratively. Fassbender’s stylish black glasses resemble Harry Palmer’s, but the inscrutable expression behind them is more indebted to George Smiley, the brilliant cuckold of John Le Carré’s novel Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Blanchett has a grand old time playing someone who hides the truth by making everything she says sound like a lie. While I doubt it was a direct influence, her performance often reminded me of former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who uses similar tactics throughout the ABC doco Nemesis; The simplest of questions receive a dismissive scoff and a smile dripping with condescension. Abela has an even better time as Marrisa, though she suffers from being assigned many of Koepps weakest witticisms. Page is stiff but serviceable, whereas both Burke and Harris confirm themselves as seasoned professionals incapable of missing a beat. Rounding out the cast is a hilariously grouchy turn from Pierce Brosnan. Each wrinkle added to his noble face makes him more capable of creating a genuine sense of menace of the kind he could only hint at as a younger man.
Soderbergh has generally been adept at getting memorable performances from his actors, but rarely has he framed them in such a pedestrian manner. Once again acting as cinematographer, each sequence is handsome but indistinct, edited (also by Soderbergh) with a now customary ruthlessness that keeps things propulsive but removes the chance for any one image to linger. The high-contrast manner in which Soderbergh lights each interior offers up the film's niftiest visual trick; by keeping his key lights “hotter” than standard, each light blooms with the harsh intensity of an interrogator's lamp. Anyone could be under the spotlight at any time. It’s a technique lifted from the first Palmer film, The Ipcress File, but that doesn’t make it any less effective.
All these allusions to other spy films demonstrate that Soderbergh has done his homework, but they also expose an identity crisis that also plagues Koepp’s script; indebted both to the flash of blockbuster spy flicks along with the more “mature” stylings of Le Carré, the film ends up taking a middle-ground. Spy cliches from classic “zoom and enhance” satellite voyeurism to the dreaded polygraph test are repurposed in clever ways, but the technology used to do so is vague and too reliant on hand waving away logistical issues. You can do that in a Bond film, but Bond isn’t aiming for verisimilitude. Trading on the imagery of classic spy films may help build a glamorous aesthetic, but it also primes the viewer for a big set piece that never arrives. 20 years ago, the same script would have had an extra $7 mill to spare on a car chase to keep things interesting. Nowadays, one meager drone-bombing has to suffice. It's one thing for a viewer to be disappointed that they don’t make ‘em like they used to, but another entirely when it's clear that the director feels the same way – especially when they get so damn close.
Listings | Thursday 13 March - Wednesday 19 March
Notable Screenings
A River in the Middle of the Sky
Wahyu Al Mardhani & Chris C.F., 2023
Screening Fri 14 Mar at ACMI
A State in a State
Tekla Aslanishvili, TBC
Screening 20th March | 7pm Arrival for 7.30 Start
Price: $10 Tix here
3553 - 35-53 Emma St, Collingwood
Trip of a Lifetime
Peter Tammer, TBC
Screening Tuesday 18 March (8:35pm) at TPH
New Films in Release
Black Bag
Steven Soderbergh, 2025
Screening Everywhere
Ange and the Boss: Puskas in Australia
Cam Fink & Tony Wilson, 2024
Screening at arthouse screens
ART + FILM
A River in the Middle of the Sky
Wahyu Al Mardhani & Chris C.F., 2023
Screening Fri 14 Mar
Focus on Andrea Arnold
Bird
Andrea Arnold, 2024
Screening Fri 14 Mar
Red Road
Andrea Arnold, 2006
Screening Sat 15 Mar
American Honey
Andrea Arnold, 2016
Screening Sat 15 Mar
Wuthering Heights
Andrea Arnold, 2011
Screening Sun 16 Mar
Cow
Andrea Arnold, 2021
Screening Mon 17 Mar
Fish Tank
Andrea Arnold, 2009
Screening Mon
Focus on David Lynch
Lost Highway
David Lynch, 1997
Screening Sat 15 Mar
Eraserhead
David Lynch, 1977
Screening Sun 16 Mar
Matinees
Queer
Luca Guadagnino, 2024
Screening Fri, Sat, Sun
No screening this week
Streaming now via Blindside, AFW member Veronica Charmont has curated a selection of films by current and former AFW filmmakers. Available through until the end of April via @blindside_ari online
From the View Finder
Matthew Berka, Giles Fielke, Paddy Hay, Lucy Helen Kostos, Julia McInerney
1 Mar–30 Apr 2025
https://blindside.org.au/program/from-the-view-finder
Here’s the revised list:
The Apple
Menahem Golan, 1980
+
Koyaanisqatsi
Godfrey Reggio, 1982
Double screening tonight
There Will Be Blood
Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007
Screening Tomorrow
Cinemaniacs: Cobra
George P. Cosmatos, 1986
Screening Sat 15 Mar
Follow That Bird
Ken Kwapis, 1985
Screening Sun 16 Mar
The Wizard of Oz - 85th Anniversary
Victor Fleming, 1939
Screening Sun 16 Mar
Nashville
Robert Altman, 1975
Screening Sun 16 Mar
Trouble in Paradise
Ernst Lubitsch, 1932
Screening Mon 17 Mar
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom
Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1975
Screening Mon 17 Mar
BBBC CINEMA (GALLERYGALLERY BRUNSWICK)
Closed until further notice
No screening this week
CHINATOWN CINEMA
Ne Zha 2
Yang Yu, 2025
Screening Daily
Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants
Tsui Hark, 2025
Screening Daily
Caught by the Tides
Jia Zhangke, 2024
Screening most days
Coming back in some variety soon
No screening this week
Events / Previews
Flow
Gints Zilbalodis, 2024
Screening Fri-Sun
The Cats of Gokogu Shrine
Kazuhiro Soda, 2024
Advance Screening Sun 16
Dog Day Afternoon
Sidney Lumet, 1975
Screening Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun, Wed
Darkman
Sam Raimi, 1990
Screening Sun, Tue
The Fall
Tarsem Singh, 2006
Screening Thu, Sat, Wed
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Peter Weir, 1975
Screening Thu, Tue
Roman Holiday
William Wyler, 1953
+
To Catch a Thief
Alfred Hitchcock, 1955
Double screening on Tues
New Release
Black Bag
Steven Soderbergh, 2025
Screening Daily
Ange and the Boss: Puskas in Australia
Cam Fink & Tony Wilson, 2024
Screening Daily
Mickey 17
Bong Joon Ho, 2025
Screening Daily
Hard Truths
Mike Leigh, 2024
Screening Daily
Spit
Jonathan Teplitzky, 2025
Werekend Previews
Dahomey
Mati Diop, 2024
Screening Daily
Inside
Charles Williams, 2024
Screening Daily
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Mohammad Rasoulof, 2024
Screening Daily
I’m Still Here
Walter Salles, 2024
Screening Daily
The Last Journey
Filip Hammar, Fredrik Wikingsson, 2024
Screening Daily
The Porcelain War
Slava Leontyev, Brendan Bellomo, 2024
Screening Daily
Bird
Andrea Arnold, 2024
Screening Daily
The Last Showgirl
Gia Coppola, 2024
Screening Daily
Soundtrack to a Coup D ‘État
Johan Grimonprez, 2024
Screening Daily
Black Box Diaries
Shiori Ito, 2024
Screening Daily
Grand Tour
Miguel Gomes, 2024
Screening Daily
Queer
Luca Guadanigno, 2024
Screening Daily
Babygirl
Halina Reijn, 2024
Screening Daily
A Complete Unknown
James Mangold, 2024
Screening Daily
The Brutalist
Brady Corbet, 2024
Screening Daily
Presence
Steven Soderbergh, 2025
Screening Daily
Becoming Led Zeppelin
Bernard MacMahon, 2025
Screening Daily
Conclave
Edward Berger, 2024
Screening Daily
Nosferatu
David Eggers, 2024
Screening Daily
Anora
Sean Baker, 2024
Screening Daily
Sing Sing
Greg Kwedar, 2025
Screening Daily
Emilia Perez
Jacques Audiard, 2025
Screening Daily
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat, 2024
Screening Daily
DOGMILK DEGUSTATIONS: @ Miscellania
No screening this week
No screening this week
GAY24 (Bar Flippy’s)
Next screening March 26
HITLIST (9 Gertrude St, Fitzroy)
No screening this week
LIDO / CLASSIC / CAMEO
Events
Europa! Europa! Film Festival
Lido and Classic Cinemas
Program here (including Truffaut restorations)
General Release
Black Bag
Steven Soderbergh, 2025
Screening Daily
Mickey 17
Bong Joon Ho, 2025
Screening Daily
Inside
Charles Williams, 2024
Screening Daily
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Mohammad Rasoulof, 2024
Screening Daily
I’m Still Here
Walter Salles, 2024
Screening Daily
The Last Journey
Filip Hammar, Fredrik Wikingsson, 2024
Screening Daily
Bird
Andrea Arnold, 2024
Screening Daily
The Last Showgirl
Gia Coppola, 2024
Screening Daily
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
Michael Morris, 2025
Screening Daily
A Complete Unknown
James Mangold, 2024
Screening Daily
Queer
Luca Guadanigno, 2024
Screening Daily
Babygirl
Halina Reijn, 2024
Screening Daily
Grand Tour
Miguel Gomes, 2024
Screening Daily
Widow Clicquot
Paul Verhoeven, 2023
Screening Daily
Conclave
Edward Berger, 2024
Screening Daily
The Brutalist
Brady Corbet, 2024
Screening Daily
Nosferatu
David Eggers, 2024
Screening Daily
Anora
Sean Baker, 2024
Screening Daily
We Live in Time
John Crowley, 2024
Screening Daily
A Real Pain
Jesse Eisenberg, 2024
Screening Daily
Emilia Perez
Jacques Audiard, 2025
Screening Daily
OVA CLUB
No screening this week
No screening this week — we will report back ASAP
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY: SCREENING IDEAS
No screening this week
PALACE BALWYN / BRIGHTON / COMO / KINO / PENTRIDGE / MOONEE PONDS / WESTGARTH
Events / Previews
Alliance Française French Film Festival
Program and tickets available here
General Release
Black Bag
Steven Soderbergh, 2025
Screening Daily
Mickey 17
Bong Joon Ho, 2025
Screening Daily
Inside
Charles Williams, 2024
Screening Daily
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Mohammad Rasoulof, 2024
Screening Daily
I’m Still Here
Walter Salles, 2024
Screening Daily
The Last Journey
Filip Hammar, Fredrik Wikingsson, 2024
Screening Daily
Bird
Andrea Arnold, 2024
Screening Daily
The Last Showgirl
Gia Coppola, 2024
Screening Daily
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
Michael Morris, 2025
Screening Daily
A Complete Unknown
James Mangold, 2024
Screening Daily
Queer
Luca Guadanigno, 2024
Screening Daily
Babygirl
Halina Reijn, 2024
Screening Daily
Widow Clicquot
Paul Verhoeven, 2023
Screening Daily
Presence
Steven Soderbergh, 2025
Screening Daily
Conclave
Edward Berger, 2024
Screening Daily
Nosferatu
David Eggers, 2024
Screening Daily
Anora
Sean Baker, 2024
Screening Daily
Wicked
John M. Chu, 2024
Screening Daily
Film installation and book launch by Lucas Haynes.
Haynes presents new works of film and photography from his residency in Indonesia.
Opening Friday 21st from 6-8pm, and then Saturday and Sunday 12-4
Upstairs
1b Marine Parade
Abbotsford
No screening this week
THE MELBOURNE CINÉMATHÈQUE (ACMI)
Viva L’Italia
Roberto Rossellini, 1954
Screening from 7pm
+
India: Matri Bhumi
Roberto Rossellini, 1959
Screening from 9.00pm
Black Bag
Steven Soderbergh, 2024
Screening Daily
I’m Still here
Walter Salles, 2024
Screening Thurs, Sat, Sun, Wed
Mickey 17
Bong Joon Ho, 2025
Screening Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, Wed
The Last Journey
Filip Hammar, Fredrik Wikingsson, 2024
Screening Sat, Sun, Wed
Becoming Led Zeppelin
Bernard MacMahon, 2025
Screening Sun
UNKNOWN PLEASURES @ Thornbury Picture House
Trip of a Lifetime
Peter Tammer, TBC
Screening Tuesday 18 March (8:35pm)