Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Bill Nighy | ... | ||
Rachel Weisz | ... | ||
Tom Hughes | ... | ||
Michael Gambon | ... | ||
Judy Davis | ... | ||
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Rakhee Thakrar | ... | |
Saskia Reeves | ... | ||
Ewen Bremner | ... | ||
Felicity Jones | ... | ||
Richard Lintern | ... | ||
Holly Aird | ... |
Anna Hervé
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Andrew Cleaver | ... |
Brian Lord
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Kate Burdette | ... | ||
Ralph Fiennes | ... | ||
Alice Krige | ... |
Emma Baron
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Johnny Worricker (Bill Nighy) is a long-serving MI5 officer. His boss and best friend Benedict Baron (Michael Gambon) dies suddenly, leaving behind him an inexplicable file, threatening the stability of the organization. Meanwhile, a seemingly chance encounter with Johnny's striking next-door neighbor and political activist Nancy Pierpan (Rachel Weisz) seems too good to be true. Johnny is forced to walk out of his job, and then out of his identity to find out the truth. Set in London and Cambridge, PAGE EIGHT is a contemporary spy film for the BBC, which addresses intelligence issues and moral dilemmas peculiar to the new century. Written by David Hare
My 9 should be taken simply as an unequivocal recommendation to see the movie, rather than as a comparison with any other movie.
This movie is clearly in love with the world of movie spying but the writer/director have far too much class to reduce it to an exercise in kiss kiss bang bang. Instead of guns and girls we get dodgy dossiers, cold London streets, hushed conversations and uncertain allegiances.
Very early on, there is an exchange between Michael Gambon (Ben) and Bill Nighy (Johnny) that makes it clear nothing is to be taken at face value. This left me constantly wondering about everyone's motives and questioning every relationship, just as Johnny seems to do. This makes for a very enjoyable, if paranoid, experience.
Those who do not like the tone or pacing might argue that it is unfocused or misses its punches, but I liked this aspect of the film. For me, it made it all seem more realistic and at the same time more demanding of the viewer (that is, you have to pay attention and notice what is going on).
I hear that there may be a second and third film. I'd go to the cinema to see them.