ALL THE OLD KNIVES hits theaters and Prime Video April 8. This is a slick but subtle CIA mystery with strong performances from the entire cast. Unlike most espionage action flicks this one relies solely on the dialogue and conversations between characters.
Synopsis: When the CIA discovers one of its agents leaked information that cost more than 100 people their lives, veteran operative Henry Pelham (Chris Pine) is assigned to root out the mole from among his former officemates at the agency’s Vienna station.
I like Chris Pine a lot. He put the breath of life into Captain James Kirk in the Star Trek reboots, but sadly has had little in the way of memorable roles since. It feels like he hit his stride in this one and gave us more of that captivating self assurance we are used to. As a CIA Operative tasked with interrogating former associates he is steely, focused, and yet highly personable.
The story line is solid but does jump around timelines a lot. Not that you ever would, but I do not suggest watching this while at the same time scrolling through social media. You will need to pay attention to what is happening and when. The main dialogue takes place eight years after the initial incident. As they are having conversations in the current it will just to show those events in the past. It isn’t hard to follow by any means if you stay engaged in the movie. Which actually isn’t hard due to the performances and story.
Chris Pine is joined by Thandiwe Newton who plays his former colleague and lover. The two worked together on the mission that is being investigated but have not seen each other since. Pine’s character is torn between the business and personal questions that are begging for answers. There is strong chemistry with the two actors on screen, and the intimate moments or steamy and believable. In the flashback moments we see how strong their bond was. But who can you really trust in the CIA world? Exactly.
Laurence Fishburne and Jonathan Pryce also star in this one as lead members of the CIA team. They don’t get a lot of screen time but what they do give is top notch; as expected. The film is based on a book which I have a feeling goes a lot deeper into the who, what, when, and where. This one does a fine job though of avoiding fluff and plot holes. It gets the story told, plain and simple.
ALL THE OLD KNIVES is an adult drama and rated R for sexuality/nudity, violence and language. I always recommend going to the theater but this one will play perfectly at home through Prime Video, which is a great option.
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