In 1966 three uncommonly attractive Mossad agents come home
to tell their countrymen how they brought the Surgeon of Burkineau to
justice. Fast-forward to 1997
where we revisit these three operatives as one of their daughter's is preparing
to release a book detailing their harrowing journey.
John Madden's The Debt tells the story of both instances, jumping back and forth
between the two time periods with such finesse that even a few misplaced
accents can't derail you from believing that the likes of Helen Mirren and Tom
Wilkinson could have once been agents in the field. The film is a satisfying thriller with a not-too-predictable
narrative; one that feels much in-line with the best of Clancy and Ludlum.
The
weakest points in The Debt are fairly
obvious. The pacing is sporadic at
best as you often find yourself moving from a scene involving high stakes action
to a drawn out exchange between our two leads. And while the acting from the younger generation is far less
than stellar, save for a tour de force performance by quickly rising star
Jessica Chastain, the incongruities between playing Israeli agents masquerading
as Russians is bothersome.
Generally
forgettable but not without saving graces, The
Debt is worth a viewing "“ if not to see Oscar winner Helen Mirren looking
better than ever than to see Sam Worthington finally give a performance that
isn't so mechanical. If you like
films that make you simultaneously want to sign up for Krav Maga and read up on
international conflicts than this one is definitely for you.
