Rated R for some violence and language
Cast: Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, Jessica Chastain, Jesper Christensen, Marton Csokas
Director: John Madden
Like a poison that slithers through the bloodstream, the deception at the center of "The Debt" methodically feeds on the unease of those who made the decision. We can understand why one of the characters proposed the lie. The implications were obvious, but it did seem like a viable option at the time. Furthermore, we can understand why the idea might have sounded more or less efficacious when first suggested, and may have been for the greater good. Yet what gives a lie its strength isn't determined by how well one can cover it up, but by the lengths one must go to in the process. It's just too taxing on the psyche.
The movie is a spy thriller that doesn't exactly span decades, but does transcend them; it involves choices made in the past that force the hands of those in the present. The story is of a mission where the danger was omnipresent, emotions were raw and susceptible, and everything hinged not on how much knowledge one possessed, but on how one carried him or herself. I had forgotten how rare that is in movies these days. Most spy thrillers are devoid of any true sense of dread, opting instead for an ostentatious display of protagonist perfection in defeating the most bumbling of villains. Here, the success of the mission doesn't depend on the agents' level of marksmanship or hand-to-hand combat skills (though they are trained in such abilities), but on how well they can adapt emotionally to the unforeseen ramifications when the assignment goes bad. Maintaining one's sanity can be a tall order, regardless of the volume of training they have been afforded.
We follow three Mossad secret agents at two different points in their lives. In 1966, Rachel Singer (Jessica Chastain), David Peretz (Sam Worthington), and Stephan Gold (Marton Csokas) were dispatched on a covert mission into East Berlin to locate and capture Nazi war criminal Dieter Vogel, nicknamed the Surgeon of Berkinau for the sadistic experiments performed during the War that resulted in the torture and deaths of thousands of Jews. Vogel (played with salivating malevolence by Jesper Christensen) is to be taken alive, and brought back to Israel to be tried. Unexpected difficulties arise; the trio is unable to flee the city and are holed up--with their captive in tow--in the base apartment awaiting word on possible outside assistance to complete their mission.
The story shifts back and forth between 1966 and 1997 in Tel Aviv, where Rachel (Helen Mirren), David (Ciaran Hinds), and Stephan (Tom Wilkinson) are being honored for their achievements, as their heroics have inspired Rachel's daughter (Romi Aboulafia) to pen a book recounting the details of the mission. Said mission has apparently gone down in the history books as a success, though we suspect there is more to the story. Indeed, Stephan informs Rachel that a "loose end" of sorts has arisen, and needs to be dealt with before the facade of their life's work comes crashing down.
The screenplay by Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman, and Peter Straughan (based on the 2007 film "Ha-Hov") skillfully weaves together not only plot lines, but raw emotions, painful memories, desire, compassion, and heartache. The movie doesn't feel overwrought, yet we never lose sight of the fact that the atmosphere is a tapestry of imbalance. The objective isn't a simple kill or the procurement of a solitary item, but the solidification of an ideal. A restitution of sorts for those who have suffered unimaginable losses. Ideals are noble, but complicated. And can affect those who cling to them in unforeseen ways as they grow wiser with age.
Director John Madden ("Shakespeare in Love") handles the complex material with a deft touch, keeping the suspense palpable without getting lost in the shifting time periods. The movie only steps wrong once, incorporating a plot twist near the end that felt tacked on. Upon consideration, I suppose it can more or less be explained away, but I didn't feel the twist was necessary, and actually served to undermine the impact of Rachel's final decision.
But that's a relatively minor issue for me. The film works as a spy thriller, complex enough to be intriguing yet streamlined enough to be understood and provoke thought. The title is appropriate; it serves as a reminder that deception, even in desperate times when it seems the only answer, robs us of a degree of freedom in our own lives. When we look back at ourselves, our accomplishments, our loved ones, children, grandchildren... we realize that we are existing on borrowed time. That's a hard way to live.
* * * out of * * * * stars
The movie is a spy thriller that doesn't exactly span decades, but does transcend them; it involves choices made in the past that force the hands of those in the present. The story is of a mission where the danger was omnipresent, emotions were raw and susceptible, and everything hinged not on how much knowledge one possessed, but on how one carried him or herself. I had forgotten how rare that is in movies these days. Most spy thrillers are devoid of any true sense of dread, opting instead for an ostentatious display of protagonist perfection in defeating the most bumbling of villains. Here, the success of the mission doesn't depend on the agents' level of marksmanship or hand-to-hand combat skills (though they are trained in such abilities), but on how well they can adapt emotionally to the unforeseen ramifications when the assignment goes bad. Maintaining one's sanity can be a tall order, regardless of the volume of training they have been afforded.
We follow three Mossad secret agents at two different points in their lives. In 1966, Rachel Singer (Jessica Chastain), David Peretz (Sam Worthington), and Stephan Gold (Marton Csokas) were dispatched on a covert mission into East Berlin to locate and capture Nazi war criminal Dieter Vogel, nicknamed the Surgeon of Berkinau for the sadistic experiments performed during the War that resulted in the torture and deaths of thousands of Jews. Vogel (played with salivating malevolence by Jesper Christensen) is to be taken alive, and brought back to Israel to be tried. Unexpected difficulties arise; the trio is unable to flee the city and are holed up--with their captive in tow--in the base apartment awaiting word on possible outside assistance to complete their mission.
The story shifts back and forth between 1966 and 1997 in Tel Aviv, where Rachel (Helen Mirren), David (Ciaran Hinds), and Stephan (Tom Wilkinson) are being honored for their achievements, as their heroics have inspired Rachel's daughter (Romi Aboulafia) to pen a book recounting the details of the mission. Said mission has apparently gone down in the history books as a success, though we suspect there is more to the story. Indeed, Stephan informs Rachel that a "loose end" of sorts has arisen, and needs to be dealt with before the facade of their life's work comes crashing down.
The screenplay by Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman, and Peter Straughan (based on the 2007 film "Ha-Hov") skillfully weaves together not only plot lines, but raw emotions, painful memories, desire, compassion, and heartache. The movie doesn't feel overwrought, yet we never lose sight of the fact that the atmosphere is a tapestry of imbalance. The objective isn't a simple kill or the procurement of a solitary item, but the solidification of an ideal. A restitution of sorts for those who have suffered unimaginable losses. Ideals are noble, but complicated. And can affect those who cling to them in unforeseen ways as they grow wiser with age.
Director John Madden ("Shakespeare in Love") handles the complex material with a deft touch, keeping the suspense palpable without getting lost in the shifting time periods. The movie only steps wrong once, incorporating a plot twist near the end that felt tacked on. Upon consideration, I suppose it can more or less be explained away, but I didn't feel the twist was necessary, and actually served to undermine the impact of Rachel's final decision.
But that's a relatively minor issue for me. The film works as a spy thriller, complex enough to be intriguing yet streamlined enough to be understood and provoke thought. The title is appropriate; it serves as a reminder that deception, even in desperate times when it seems the only answer, robs us of a degree of freedom in our own lives. When we look back at ourselves, our accomplishments, our loved ones, children, grandchildren... we realize that we are existing on borrowed time. That's a hard way to live.
* * * out of * * * * stars
