Page Eight

Hard on the heels of a complete dud ('Glorious 39'), Bill Nighe stars in a worthy, modern successor of John le Carre's seventies cold war dramas.

If you prefer action, noise and explosions, you won't like this film. If you prefer drama to confirm your own political convictions, you won't necessarily like this film. If you prefer complex plots that make you sit on the edge of your seat, good acting and atmosphere, you will probably like this film.

The script is sharp, believable and occasionally witty, even if not all the threads are followed to their logical conclusion. Michael Gambon is a cryptic spy master with sense of irony that seems to borrow from his stage successes in Pinter and Beckett. Bill Nighy plays his character with a varying mixture of quick-wittedness, weariness and vulnerability. What little music there is matches his character's personality perfectly. The cinematography is gray and unexciting but very appropriate for the plot. The ending both satisfies and leaves one want for more.

Bring on the sequel!