A spy among friends TV review

The true story of a Soviet spy becomes a compelling character study directed by Damian Lewis and Guy Pearce.

Plot: Based on New York Times Bestselling book by Ben Macintyre, this six-episode limited series dramatizes the true story of two British spies and lifelong friends, Nicholas Elliott and Kim Philby. The latter became the most notorious British defector and Soviet double agent in history. Philby’s deeply personal betrayal, exposed at the height of the Cold War, led to the undermining of British and American intelligence.

Review: The story of Kim Philby, one of the most notorious spies discovered during the Cold War, has been retold many times in both books and documentaries. While speculative and alternate histories abound, Philby’s story inspired that of John Le Carre Craft tailor soldier spy and the film by Matt Damon The good shepherd. While these stories and adaptations were interesting, the real story in and of itself is fascinating. The new limited series A spy among friends offers a fictional but faithful retelling of the events surrounding the discovery and pursuit of Philby by his close friend and spy Nicholas Elliott. As elements are altered for dramatization, A spy among friends captures the backroom dealings and intricate conspiracies required to uncover and prosecute the double agents hiding within British Intelligence.

Told in six episodes, all directed by Nick Murphy and written by Alexander Cary, A spy among us is a classic spy drama. While some British series have recently played with humor in espionage, notably AppleTV+ series slow horses and Britboxes Stonehouse, a spy among us doesn’t have much levity to share. The story is serious and at times dour as it explores the duplicity of Kim Phelps and the investigation led by his close friend Nicholas Elliott. The story mostly consists of interrogations, backroom talks and deals made on both sides of the Berlin Wall. As the story unfolds, we are presented with an ever-changing narrative. One moment we’re presented with a scene and we believe that what we’re seeing just for the same scene is either a few seconds longer or is shown later in the episode from a slightly different angle, which is our understanding of who , completely changed guilty, innocent or both sides play. It’s an intriguing and at times frustrating technique that will keep you on your toes until the end of the final episode.

While some may whine A spy among friends‘ Slow and deliberate pace, the series is worth the investment. Damian Lewis is shrewd and calculating as Elliott, a spy and gentleman who rarely raises his voice but is always one step ahead of everyone around him. Lewis has proven his acting skills in series Homeland And billion, But he’s excellent here as one of those old guys torn between protecting his friend and his country. Equally good is Guy Pearce, who as Philby delivers what ranks among his best performances. While Philby’s treacherous acts have never been questioned, Pearce plays the double agent as someone as talented as James Bond but collapses under the psychological stress of playing both sides. Pearce has always been great at portraying morally ambiguous characters, but he makes Philby a tragic character who, despite his actions, cannot be dismissed. In the first episode of the series, Philby and Elliott are interrogated in parallel, revealing very different narratives and highlighting the key differences between the two friends. By the end of the series, it becomes pretty clear who the better spy was.

This series features many real-life historical figures, including CIA agent James Jesus Angleton (Stephen Kunken), Philby’s fellow spy Anthony Blunt (Nicholas Rowe), and 007 creator and former spy Ian Fleming (Edward Baker-Duly). Still, it is the fictional character of Lily Thomas that is most intriguing in this ensemble. Lily Thomas, portrayed by Anna Maxwell Martin, is the rare woman in a field then heavily populated by men. In the 1960s, British intelligence and global espionage services were dominated by men who honored the mentality of brotherhood and status. Thomas represents a lower-class background and an interracial marriage that, at its core, contradicts who Nicholas Elliott and Kim Philby report to and who they sympathize with. Martin is brilliant in this role as she puts together the pieces from all levels of MI6 and beyond, figuring out who to trust and who the traitors are. She represents our entry into this Byzantine world and proves many points in this story that would have been lost with an all-male cast.

Series creator and writer Alexander Cary, a veteran of writing for shows like Homeland, adapted Ben MacIntyre’s non-fiction volume, one of many detailing the exploits of Philby’s crimes. In addition to including Lily Thomas and tweaking plot elements and timelines to improve television, Cary addresses the various theories and rumors that surrounded the Philby case. Building a house of cards in the confidence of MI6 and the KGB and CIA, this story captures the blistering paranoia of the Cold War era. Director Nick Murphy, a veteran of historical series, is shaping the look of 1960s London and other parts of Europe. Umbrellas, vests, and cigarette smoke abound in every scene, which not only evokes the low-tech espionage tactics, but also focuses on the verbal and psychological skills that made a spy or double agent an important element of politics at the time. Both Cary and Murphy are critical of the pomp of other spy stories that have been adapted in the past and focus on making that story as accurate as possible while still doing that tense television.

A spy among friends is an indictment of how class and pedigree have overshadowed the actions of those in positions of power. Classically and understatedly told, this series isn’t as sexy as James Bond and far from the action Impossible Mission. But thanks to the outstanding performances of Damian Lewis, Guy Pearce and Anna Maxwell Martin, A spy among friends is a smart and tight series that presents a story that most North American viewers are probably unfamiliar with, in a way that British storytellers have long excelled. It’s worth seeing to unwrap the fascinating layers of this story; It’s worth more than an investment for fans of these great actors.

A spy among friends premieres March 12th^th on MGM+.

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