goldenlampshade

It's pouring its Europeanness out of its eyes and ears but that's no matter. Soderbergh makes a delightful chocolate cake with all the delicate deliciousness of Marisa Abela's sweet supporting performance and David Koepp's tight anal sphincter I mean script-blend it all together with a healthy dose of therapy and you have a bonafide hit.

What makes Black Bag work is how excited it is to be a film of its kind. It delights in the subtle spy stuff the script calls for every once and a while just as much as it savors having Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender play out this cat and mouse game right before our very eyes. I was totally bought in in Dolby and felt that it progressed quite nicely. If anything I would've hoped that Black Bag (which is such a fun title like when people ask me "what movie did you go see" and I get to smirk and say "Black Bag" that's cinema baby) was actually a miniseries but we all know Steven is too much of a Mr. Movies for that to happen.

If the only currency a salesman ever has is his honesty, then I must say the level of anxiety reached in this episode is peak. Brutal even. Gus coming out is an interesting parallel to Robert telling "the least convincing story" Yaz has ever heard in parallel with his boss telling all these stories of all these weddings he's been to with like Tony Blair. The truth will set you free. Lady Bird which I just watched showed me this, though it's hard because in these Industries that is often stepped on. A shame. Information is currency. And to crawl out it takes not getting stepped on. A tightrope indeed. But good friends can change that.

This show is not for kids nor for the faint of heart, hehe. The ensemble is glorious and the class commentary and ambitious work culture is incredibly sharp. On a second watch, I can see exactly how this pilot sells the entire show and it's fantastic. Gus and his very Eton attitude. Harper and the pressure of having something to prove yet effortless ability to hit it out of the park when she needs to.

The drama of the episode hits you over the head and then shoots you a hundred times in the face with its tragedy. It is such a relief to see a show treat it's audience like adults and be confident in what it has to say, and indulgent enough to say it over and over and over again.

I really appreciate the level of intensity shown at these workplaces. More to be seen.