Spy/Master

Fictional in a sense, but also inspired by the true events about Ion Mihai Pacepa, the Securitate general from the very top entourage of the (former president of Romania for some, for others the dictator) Nicolae Ceausescu who defected to the U. S. For a few a hero, a traitor for others, from a time when Romania used to be a player on the world stage. The characters and the institution involved in the plot, the KGB, STASI, the Arab terrorists, CIA, BND, and Romanian Securitatate from the '70s gives the story some historical and political weight. The series follows Pacepa's book "The Red Horizons" published in 1988, a year before Ceausescu was killed.

I managed to see the first episode at a preview event in Bucharest and even managed to ask a few questions to the producers and screenwriter. Please keep in mind that this review covers only the first episode.

First of all, this is a nice step forward for Romanian television. Not only is it a show with a decent budget, not cobbled together by asking a bunch of yogurt companies and supermarket chains for financing, but the production value is only one of the aspects where it's evident that a lot of care was taken. The series has broader appeal by having a broad European/American setting with actors speaking English and German in addition to Romanian (viewers who are not comfortable with subtitles won't be completely left out)

The story doesn't take huge risks, but it works within the formula very well. There's no pretension here, it is what it advertises, a John Le Carre-like spy thriller with a snappy pace (helped by the non-linear structure that the producers and screenwriter fought to keep) and a clear end goal.

This show is directed in Romania, Germany and Hungary, and there were two completely different teams involved, so you will notice doubles in roles which are usually singular, such as DOP, costume designer, production etc. The only time I saw something similar was Cloud Atlas, although that movie had three directors, while this show pulled the feat with only one.

The acting is fine, a notch above usual Romanian HBO productions, and miles ahead the porn level of acting you can see on Romanian cable tv dramas. Claudiu Bleont in particular is doing a biopic-style transformation into Ceausescu, a much appreciated departure from his days of starring in Seagal movies. The actress that plays his wife, Elena, was present for the Q&A, so it was interesting to hear that they had some level of "method acting" going on, without chewing the scenery.

There is little digital trickery involved in recreating the 70s Eastern Europe and US (the producer said that they used about 70 vfx shots per episode if I remember correctly), but they were quite clever in location scouting and production design, so rest assured, the end result is convincing and won't pull you out.

All in all, the first episode is a great pitch for the show, so give it a change if you are interested in a spy thriller that takes place behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War, from an Eastern perspective, one which you won't get by watching a show made in the West.

At first, I was a bit confused by the switching from one language to another, but with the subs turned on, it all became clear. I'm not a fan of subtitles, but for me, they were essential and didn't detract too much from the suspense of the storyline.

It's a great spy series and compelling viewing. The characters are believable and well-rounded, the story is interesting and different, and the dialogue excellent - delivered in a great deadpan style that suited the atmosphere.

The whole series knitted together nicely, and it is refreshing to see new-to-me actors doing a great job. The period atmosphere and the settings made the whole thing believable. I particularly liked the fact that the characters were able to project the nervousness of that moment in time.

Loved it and can't recommend it highly enough.

First of all, before watching Spy/Master you should read "Red Horizons" by Ion Mihai Pacepa. Then, you will understand better the Spy/Master. I don't usually leave reviews, but I really liked the story, and definitely it's a lesson of history.

Fictional in a sense, but also inspired by true events, Spy/Master is probably one of the best versions of Pacepa defecting to United States. For many of us he is hero, but for others he is a traitor. The lead actor, Alex Secareanu, is doing a great job. I also like the acting of Ana Ularu. She's one of the best Romanian actress.

There are also some mistakes in the movie production, like the scene shot near the North Station Railway from Bucharest, those trains/ wagons are pretty much from actual days, not from the 70s.

It's an artistic series, not a documentary. They are important details that do not respect the historical truth that deserve to be explored more. The sets and costumes are exceptional, they introduce you to the era but personally I think that the acting is not the best with few exceptions: Ana Ularu (as if the first serie was made for her), Andreea Vasile and Laurentiu Banescu, maybe because it is an international cast. The dialogues are sometimes silly, I feel the actors do not agree with them.

Unfortunately, the actors of the family of the Ceausescu dictators are a disappointment, I did not expect Claudiu Bleont to act so badly. And from the international cast there is no one to remember, maybe Ingrid.

Bottom line: not great not terrible, but I stayed until the end and I'm waiting for the next series, maybe the producer, the director, the lyricist and the actors listen to the reviews and improve the experience.