Les patriotes

I picked this film out of the hundreds of foreign DVD's in Toronto's best video store - Bay Video. I thought it was a recent Israeli production and it wasn't until I got it home I realized the film was a French production made in 1994. However, I wasn't disappointed at all and consider this wonderful film one of the best spy 'thrillers' I have ever seen. Understated like the profession of spying and subtle to the point of seduction this film doesn't fudge the issues surrounding the necessity for such a service to exist in modern Israel nor does it gloss over some of the hard facts when innocents become collateral damage. The acting, the sets, the writing are all first rate and it's probably one of the best reasons to watch this film. I guarantee you won't want it to end without finding out what happens to all the characters.

There are a couple of fine performances here: Yvan Attal is very good as the Mossad agent who must use dirty tactics to achieve political goals yet who falls for a hooker, which does nothing for his esteem with his superiors, and Richard Masur is superb as the Jewish-American scientist (cf Jonathan Pollard) who talks himself into betraying his country because of emotional commitments to Israel. This really ought to be seen by all lovers of John le Carre's works, since it is in the same vein of violence and melancholy.

This excellent thriller and character study of a young Israeli spy was produced in 1993-4. It plays as well as any memorable films of the same milieu, e.g. "Three Days of the Condor", "The Company", "Bourne", "Marathon Man", etc. That is pretty lofty company. I refuse to give away the plot but know that for two hours it will take you on a thrilling mystery ride. The casting and directing compliment a terrific script. Shot in Paris, Tel Aviv, Washington, D.C. and New York City it moves along without the gimmicks (CGI) or insane editing and music that so many films depend on today. Finally, the international cast of French, American and Israeli actors are in perfect harmony. Always good to see Alan Garfield in anything..

A hidden gem which in many ways is as good of a depiction of Mossad life as Munich without all the critical acclaim.

Les Patriotes tells the story of a young Jewish Frenchman who decides to emigrate in Israel in order to join the famous Mossad. I don't think the scriptwriters intended to reveal us the truth about the world's most secret service (who can claim to really have solid informations about that?). Yet they wrote an excellent screenplay, worth the best spy movies. Les Patriotes is an exciting description of the daily work of the spies. It is a beautifully-acted movie that doesn't show off and in the same time tells us a lot of things. It is a captivating vision of what a state manipulation is. So, if you have the chance, see it!