OUR KIND OF TRAITOR: McGregor Falls Down A Rabbit Hole Of Espionage

Ewan McGregor stars across Stellan Skarsgård, with Naomie Harris and Damian Lewis, in this film adaptation of the John le Carré (who is also on board as executive producer) novel of the same name, with a screenplay penned by Hossein Amini, helmed by British director Susanna White.

With neo-noir ingredients, this thriller falls somewhere between slow-burn and slow-going. At times, we’re left to wonder why there isn’t more action, or twists (I felt similarly during Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit). That said, the film is something of an anomaly in the US theatrical market.

With an R rating and with no massive set pieces in sight, we rarely see films like this one playing theatrically. Perhaps the reason I was able to catch it theatrically was Amazon Prime Instant Video. Because we see films like this so infrequently nowadays, we come to them with expectations warped by the higher-action, twisty-turning films coming out as of late.

Whether it is best to view this film through the lens of films of a similar ilk, or through the present-day lens, there is still material here worthy of a look. Our Kind of Traitor is no doubt my normal cup of tea, as films go. Knowing its le Carré roots (the famed author is known for writing Tinker Tailor Solider Spy, adapted in 1979 and 2011 and the recently, spectacularly adapted A Most Wanted Man), the promise of espionage and intrigue, plus the cast – I was in.

A Dossier Unpacked

McGregor is Perry, a professor of poetry, on vacation with his wife, a barrister named Gail (Harris). The two are in the midst of a strained marriage, due in part to a marital indiscretion – this is a bond that will be put to the test over the course of the film. While the two are at a near-breaking point, the endlessly enigmatic and intriguing Dima (Skarsgård) enters the picture. Dima brings Perry to a party which at first seems merely drug-fueled and trippy, but very quickly turns dark.

It is in moments like this when we see the everyman uprightness of Perry, and as we continue, it becomes more and more clear that he is the prototypical Hitchc*ckian picaro (the ordinary man caught in an extraordinary situation). Perry recognizes severe wrongdoing at this party, and intervenes to aid a young woman in distress; he later recognizes another individual in need of help – Dima. Dima’s charisma draws Perry in, and once the two become close, Dima’s request serves as the inciting incident.

Perry, whether consciously aware of it or not, is finding his present situation (being on Moroccan holiday with a less-than-enthused wife) lacking, and benefits greatly from his newfound, gregarious, warm and welcoming friend. He ends up getting more than he bargained for, as Dima gives Perry a USB flash drive (the now-ubiquitous, modern day attaché) and asks him to bring it home to the British government. Presumably, the intel in tow is damning enough of enemies of the British state to get asylum for Dima and his family.

Enter Lewis as MI6 agent Hector, who gives the customary “it’s not enough” retort, and the main crux of the film is revealed. Lewis’ character needs more intel to bring the proverbial hammer down, one which he wishes to yield, for personal reasons revealed within. Dima distrusts Hector, and wants to deal only with Perry, in turn, Hector needs McGregor’s Perry to deal with Dima. Perry, at this point, has little option.

Perry has to choose to stay out of it, and Dima’s family faces danger of retaliation at home, or choose to stay involved and potentially place himself and his wife in danger. Gail (Harris) is less than thrilled with the idea – yet another nail in the coffin of their marriage. Perry is torn, but ultimately chooses to involve himself – thus bringing Gail into the fold by association. What follows is a decently compelling tale, aided by the work of skilled department heads, under White’s direction.

Traitor’s look and sound

The cinematography, courtesy of Anthony Dod Mantle, is one of the film’s primary neo-noir aspects. Robust colors often bathe the actors, while navigating dark settings, with light, creating a sharp visual contrast. Some bravura shots are presented, bordering on expressionistic uses of reflections and shadows, bolstering the visual component of the film.

Great tension is created in the third act of Our Kind of Traitor, taking place in a small house in wooded hills, using sparse sound and low lighting. The tension was palpable for me, and yet after it subsided, it seemed as though my worries weren’t warranted.

Do I wonder why I am a paranoid film viewer? Do I commend the filmmakers for creating captivating tension? Or, do I lament tension in the film that seemed to not pay off? Just as they are for the film overall, my feelings lay somewhere in between. There should be no room for neutrality in criticism, but I cannot outright loathe the film, for there are aspects worthy of applause.

Likewise, I don’t know if I can declare it a favorite, as it didn’t fully compel me to love it outright. There were moments that gripped me, but they were moments and not the whole. I will say the film is its strongest and most compelling during the third act.

Scoring is rather understated, with composing handled by Marcelo Zarvos. Similarly, I don’t know whether to applaud restraint or bemoan a lack of stronger musical presence. I imagine the director, White, and Zarvos, sitting for the spotting session, and high-fiving each other (deservedly so) when selecting moments where the film will forego music. Silence helps to build the aforementioned tension. When the score is most allowed to amplify the emotion of occurrences onscreen, it most certainly works – this just does not happen often. When it does, the restraint seems less evident, ironically, because of how much restraint there is… paradox.

The Assets – A Debriefing

One of Our Kind Of Traitor‘s greatest strengths is one if its most compelling performances, that of Dima’s wife, Tamara (Saskia Reeves). Reeves has very few lines in the film, and the character is central to the narrative, while being minor in terms of screen time.

Reeves, regardless of whether doing so independently of or aided by direction given by White, is able to deliver a thoroughly striking performance, captivating with a look, one which seems to rarely change (paired with the character’s rarely-changing, beleaguered emotional state). What comes off at first as a harsh, cold characterization, is later revealed to be that of a woman entirely justified in feeling the way she does, through Reeves’ tremendous work.

As the matriarch of the family, consisting of Dima, one biological daughter, and two younger girls (inherited from a gunned down friend of Dima’s), Reeves’ work conveys volumes and indicates a gifted performer. Intensely focused and independent of voluminous dialogue, Reeves makes a lasting impression, and is a performer I will be keeping an eye on.

I guarantee that a good fraction of any emotional resonance this film incites will be courtesy of Reeves. What could have been a thankless, opposite-of-noteworthy role stands out – because of her. Top marks – she’s one of my very favorite aspects of Our Kind of Traitor.

While Reeves is able to effectively craft a performance out of a minimal role that, on paper, was severely underserved, Lewis’ MI6 agent also seems to suffer from a lack of development on the scripting side. My intuition tells me that, in other hands, the delivery of Lewis’ character’s backstory (which I’ll allow the film to deliver) would have been more heavy-handed.

What at first seemed to be lacking development may be another instance of restraint, one that I will commend. Amini’s adaptation eventually reveals why Lewis’ character is so committed to his goals, without hitting anyone over the head with it, and Lewis (renowned for his work on Showtime’s Homeland) skillfully makes it resonate.

The difference between the work of Lewis and Reeves is Lewis is working with something from the screenplay, while Reeves conjures something from the nothing that was explicitly dictated to her by the script. Skarsgård shines as Dima, who walks and talks charisma. He brings the zany Russian, but he also brings the devoted father who has seen and endured too much, and wants to protect his own family at any cost. Marvel fans will get a kick out of seeing the normally docile Erik Selvig kick some ass at one point in the film.

The Final Take

I was happy to catch this one in theaters, as mentioned earlier, so few films like this see theatrical release much anymore, let alone during tentpole season, which seems to cover more of the calendar year than ever before. The strong visuals justify theatrical over home viewing. I myself was thrilled to support such a film while it gets a chance at theater showings, however limited they may be.

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As someone who loves big, action and effects-laden pictures, especially this time of year, even I am dismayed with the current theatrical options. Our Kind of Traitor is a competent, solid alternative to the less-than-appealing offerings out now.

Does the film live up to the legacy of Le Carré adaptations? Chime in below…

Our Kind of Traitor is currently playing in limited release in the US.