Wife of a Spy

Kiyoshi Kurosawa's "Supai no tsuma" ("Wife of a Spy" in English) is about a woman in 1940s Japan married to a man suspected of being a double agent. It's one of those movies that manages to be romantic and intense at the same time.

One thing about it that I hope catches viewers' attention is the Japanese authorities' discussion of events in China. It refers to Unit 731, where Japanese troops performed horrific scientific experiments on the Chinese. This was just one of countless monstrous war crimes carried out by the Japanese troops in the '30s and '40s. While there was some prosecution of these atrocities, most of them got swept under the rug. No doubt it'll take years to fully expose the war criminals. It's perfectly understandable why Satoko and Yusaku do what they do.

Anyway, it's a fine look at Japan. The generations since WWII have been unwilling to fully acknowledge the country's war crimes; maybe the younger generation will be willing to.

Four minutes short of two hours, this was a film which made me despise the modern technology used in cinematography. Watch this film to see how the great screenplay, outstanding acting and potential for a masterpiece can be ruined by choosing something you are not fully familiar with, like electronic cameras! Kiyoshi Kurosawa agreed to make a movie on a limited TV broadcaster budget, so that was what we got! A colourless and dull looking cinematography which came half way for everything!

A part of the Japanese history not often visited by the Japanese filmmakers was just touched and never fully explored, slowly dissolving into a personal drama of trust and betrayal...

If you like dull colours, reserved directing, no outdoor scenes and very dark indoor rooms, some agony with few tears, no sex and maybe a kiss, bad acting from foreigners and excellent acting from Yû Aoi and Issey , sit down and prepare your snacks and drinks!

It's an average, feel-good film at best with a very good universal message. How the Jury of Venice 2020 film festival headed by Cate Blanchett bestowed this film with the Best Director Award beats logic. Was it because the lead character was a film director? That must have pleased jury member Joanna Hogg. This incredible jury thought that Konchalovsky did not deserve the Best Director award for "Dear Comrades!" a vastly superior work but instead bestowed it the Jury's Special Prize as a consolation. This same jury gave another below par film from Mexico's Michel Franco called "The New Order" the Grand Jury Prize. The Bosnian film "Quo vadi, Aida?" was overlooked but thankfully it is in the Oscar race. Look closely at the awards and the jury seemed to give some award or other to all the nominees, often having questionable merit. Luckily, for us the Gold Lion went to a deserving work "Nomadland."

The script will make you recall "The Shawshank Redemption" though the tales are in different settings.

"Wife of a spy" is a good vehicle for the Kill Bill 1 and 2 actor Issey Takahashi. Little else.

A good portrait of trust and suspicion in the ultra right nationalist period. The film in the film reflects the story of characters, which structure was developed in Ryusuke Hamaguchi's latest film Drive My Car. However, some of the scene is lacking in logic and therefore makes me feel unreal.

Wife of a Spy, a historical drama set in Japan during the early days of World War II, centers on Yu Aoi as Satoko Fukuhara, the wife of a businessman (Takahashi) whom she slowly suspects may be a spy for the United States. Be warned, if you're looking for a tense, taught thriller that showcases the art of spycraft, intrigue, and narrow escapes, Wife of a Spy is not that. Instead, it's a solid character driven film devoid of any bombast or spectacle. The film takes its time letting the audience get to know the characters before upending Satoko's happiness, plunging her into a world of lies and deceit.

As Satoko is slowly drawn in to Yusaku's world, her transition from timidity to confidence is almost immediate, making game-changing decisions that forces Yusaku to include her into his plans. Hunting the couple is Masahiro Higashide as Taiji, an ambitious and recently promoted member of military police. Taiji, a childhood friend of Satoko, brings the tension to the film as his affections for Yusaku's wife make for source of emotional conflict for Satoko. While not on screen often, Higashide plays the brooding, power hungry officer well, and shines in his final confrontation with Aoi. The final resolution is painful and melancholic as audiences are taken through the ride of 1940s Japan to settle at the final days of the war.

Starring Yu Aoi and Issey Takahashi, Wife of a Spy's main strength lies in its acting. Issey Takahashi's relaxed, almost informal body language conveys a sense of confidence, of self assuredness in the actions he's taking against his home country. Takahashi is equal parts charming and affable as he moves through the film, interacting with businessmen and officers of the law alike in an easy manner that almost appears effortless. It's this disarming nature that beguiles both the characters and us the audience, and it's only when Yusaku's plans are fully revealed that we realize just how calculating Yusaku has been the entire time.

Still, for all of Takahashi and Higashihde's prowess, the star of the film is Yu Aoi as the titular spy's wife. Aoi's transition from happy housewife to woman of conviction to something entirely different by the movie's end is played masterfully by Aoi as Satoko navigates through the twists and turns of the story. Alternating between ignorance, anger, fear, and confidence, Aoi employs a full acting clinic as she carries the film.

Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Wife of a Spy burns slow, but never manages to bore. Within its 115 minute runtime, Kurosawa has created a world of 1940s Japan littered with possible friends and possible foes. Never explicitly stating who the Fukuharas can and can't trust, the audience is left just as wary as the characters are in their decision making. Kurosawa bring a realistic feel to the movie, choosing to use natural light often to illuminate his characters, helping to lend credence to the period piece. The almost Hitchcockian feel of the film is expertly handled by the veteran director, and while the Wife of a Spy never quite reaches the level of thrills that say Rear Window or Vertigo provide, it still manages to craft a solid story featuring hidden motivations and crisis of identity.

Overall, Wife of a Spy is a competent thriller that manages to keep the audience engaged and guessing throughout. Thanks to a shocking third act twist that's sure to catch viewers off their guard, the film is elevated from standard spy fare to something deeper and more appreciative of the subgenre. More focused on the themes of strong relationship ties and national pride than on espionage, Kurosawa's movie is clever in its approach to the story, choosing to stay focused on Satoko and her desires over Yusaku's scheming. Strong performances from Yu Aoi and Issey Takahashi, as well as the direction from Kiyoshi Kurosawa combine to place it on a list of worthy must-see movies of 2021. Wife of a Spy hits theaters in a limited release September 17th in New York and September 24th in Los Angeles.