Jack Strong

One of many examples supporting the quote: "Truth is stranger than fiction" is perfectly portrayed in spying world.

The achievements, risks, situations that have experienced some spies are, in fact, difficult to believe for a normal person.

The film is about a the times Ryszard Kukliński passed top secret Warsaw Pact documents to the CIA between 1972 and 1981 , and it shows clearly Kuklinski's courage and the risks he was exposed, keeping everyone in suspense until the last minute.

The movie is an outstanding tribute to this real event and is beautifully made: actors performance, filming, photography, music...

9/10

"I had to choose between serving my country or the Red Empire" (Ryszard Kuklinski)

Described as "the first Polish officer in NATO" by Zbigniew Brzezinski, Ryszard Kuklinski was one of the most absorbing figures of the recent history as a man who played a decisive role in the Cold War. At the 10th anniversary of Kuklinski's death, Wladyslaw Pasikowski, a rather newcomer director (known for his AFTERMATH made two years earlier), has made this film with exceptional insight into the interpretation of a specific reality, with courage (taking into account the various negative viewpoints caused by some political affiliations of its critics and accusations against Kuklinski from post-communist) and extraordinary evaluation of modern needs within cinema trends. But within this uncommon evaluation, we are interested in an ordinary viewer who goes to see this film for various reasons: to get to know history; to find the depiction of the protagonist's heroic deeds, surely; but, in many cases, to get some thrill, some action, something we all, even unconsciously, expect of cinema. After all, JACK STRONG is, foremost, a movie. Therefore, I am not going to be a historical judge in this review but rather look at the film from a movie freak's standpoint, more in terms of purely cinematic means as done by the reviewers before me.

The film is supplied with resonance at its depiction of Communist Soviet Union vs. the Capitalist world of the United States. Two realities that stand in total opposition. In that context, JACK STRONG serves as the almost flawless illustration of the Cold War period where Poland (swallowed by communism) and the protagonist, Ryszard Kuklinski (1930-2004), appear in between two powers. The Polish colonel, deluding his comrades, is actually a spy to NATO passing the top secret documents to CIA. What do these documents refer to? Soviet plans to use nuclear weapons and, to put it shortly, immense hazard of nuclear war, a poisonous policy raised on anti-craft bases. He contacts Americans using the most 'unpredictable' almost 'primitive' devices that, anyway, contribute to our imagination - device called 'spark.' By placing himself and his family in unbelievable risks, can he handle that political duality for long? Or more to ask, perhaps sounding paradoxically, does he do it for himself or out of his patriotic motives?

The former question seems almost rhetorical. The latter question, however, (which refers to strong accusations against this man), within the quotation by Kuklinski I entailed at the beginning and, in particular, the word 'serve' should aid in eliminating the unfair seeds of doubt. SERVE excludes all egocentric drives. But there is something else, the beginning of the movie that does not appear to be wordy in script but tremendously powerful in visuals. The film opens with a shocking scene (that in a way sets the tone for the entire story). Oleg Pienkowski, as we may deduce, had been doing exactly what Kuklinski takes up and comes to an end that barely differs from Holocaust. So to say, the Soviets that suppress the east block seem to indicate what fate awaits all those 'traitors' that dare spill the beans about their policy. In that very context, we understand Kuklinski's motives. Serving communists that were within our country was, actually, serving the Red Empire. Therefore, by being a spy to CIA, he actually served America in the Cold War but, consequently, served Poland too in its way to freedom. That makes his story exceptionally absorbing and captivating as fleeing in wooden boxes. Asked at the finale if it was worth, he concludes all these events, all these sorrows in a beautiful sentence. But let me highlight performances.

JACK STRONG is a movie which features Patrick Wilson in an interesting role of Daniel. Among the supporting characters, its strong point lies in portraying historical characters, including Oleg Maslennikov as the Russian military commander Kulikov, Volodymyr Necheporenko as Brezniev and Krzysztof Dracz as Wojciech Jaruzelski responsible for the imposition of martial law in Poland. But all our attention is called on Marcin Dorocinski in the lead whose American pseudonym "Jack Strong" finds its manifestation in this portrayal.

He echoes all the flawless hyper-psychological-spy roles ever depicted by handling the role with exceptional duality of choices: he can be divided into two realities of a personality: formal and private, a colonel and father/husband. One cannot go without the other in responsibility but hardly does it go in pairs within one reality. The former requires the sacrifice from the latter and vice versa. That is beautifully depicted in his family conflicts, in the choices he makes, in the rapport with his two sons, Bogdan (Piotr Nerlewski) and Waldek (Jozef Pawlowski), his wife Hanna's (Maja Ostaszewska) suspicions. Finally, however, we get the redeeming aspect of reconciliation prompted by desperate acts to build a safer future in America.

JACK STRONG, besides all the psychological-historical-political balance, is a wonderfully entertaining movie with tensions that equal the best American productions. Obviously, there is a gray aspect of times, specific times in Poland but moments of pure adrenaline are not to be skipped. What I mean here is, foremost, the 'car race' in the icy streets of Warsaw which finely combines humor with tension and blend reality with fantasy. Polish, English and Russian in the movie add authenticity to the characters' nationalities. And many other strong points that are simply noticeable when seeing the film.

Serve his own country...where monsters were disguised as masters...was a hard task for the conscience and honor on the verge of wretched captivity. He chose the hardest, what price did he/they pay? What reward did he/they get? Merely a memorial tribute or, perhaps, something more.

A successful movie that manages to resist the temptation of being a shallow historical make-believe. Consequently, it is a fine history lesson for the viewers keen on that stuff. It also manages to hold our attention and meet the supreme expectation of a contemporary movie-goer: ACTION. 9/10

Possible that Kukliński was a double agent, of the Soviet GRU, used in an operational game with the CIA. A Polish Minister of Internal Affairs during communist times, Czesław Kiszczak revealed such a theory in a later interview, while a former Soviet military attaché, Yuriy Rylyov, claimed so directly in an interview. Historians, like Paweł Wieczorkiewicz and Franciszek Puchała (a general in the Polish Army during communist times) suggest, that the knowledge Kukliński had was exaggerated, and while he had a lot of information about the Polish Army and the organization of the Warsaw Pact in general, he could not have had detailed information on Soviet plans, since no one in Poland had it. Puchała supported his opinion in official hearings of Kukliński by Polish prosecutors during his revised trial. Revealing plans about the enforcement of martial law in Poland, which would make a Soviet invasion unnecessary, could have been profitable for the Soviet side, ensuring that the USA would not be surprised by martial law and would not undertake unpredictable actions against the Soviets. It is noteworthy, that despite Kukliński's revelations, the USA did not warn Solidarity about martial law. The Soviets took the escape of such an important spy nonchalantly and did not demand any consequences from the Polish politician responsible for intelligence, namely Czesław Kiszczak. Also, the matter of Kukliński's sons' deaths is unclear and they may have been part of a protection program; besides, according to Wieczorkiewicz, such revenge on a defector's family would be quite unusual for Soviet intelligence.

There are so many spy thrillers out there, that screenplays and/or plots are becoming boring. Example Jack Ryan: Shadow recruit, nice story but too many bullets, and unrealistic sub-plots and scenes. It is more for entertainment purposes than to show how the spying is done in real world. Despite low budget of Jack Strong, all is done excellent. We are time traveling into 70's and 80's and all looks like it was in those dark days where Iron Curtain was dividing West from East. Plus very good acting by all, excellent directing and producing. What I really do like is that the roles of Russians are played by the Russian actors, American roles by the American actors and Polish roles are filled by the Polish actors. Something to learn by Hollywood In this concept it makes even much realistic. Nothing is overdone. Also important thing seen in this film is, how the spying is affecting families, co-workers, friendships. If you want to see the real spying world, you must see Jack Strong.

Despite I live in Poland, I saw just a couple polish films in last 20 years. I was so disappointed with some of polish films I watched in 80's and early 90's that I completely stopped watching polish productions. Few ones I watched during 90's and 2000's were lame or just "so-so". I especially loathed the way polish actors play and speak - it was unnatural, theatrical.

But since I was interested by real story depicted by Jack Strong, I give it a try and I must admit this film is really perfect. There is still a little bit of this annoying theatrical manner when polish actors speak, but it is just a tint, and probably this is completely not detectable by non polish speakers. The rest is great - very realistic to smallest details (I still perfectly remember 70's & 80's during communist rule) Russians speak Russian, Poles speak Polish, Americans speak English. Filmed in real locations in real winter, with real snow. Real cars from 70, with real looking chases (and no CG or accelerated paces. Intelligent move for intelligent people in the same class like Argo or Der Baader Meinhof Komplex. Very refreshing experience after all those dumb nonsense full of CG served by Hollywood lately.

Let's hope this fill will be soon released on blu-ray, so more people outside Poland can enjoy this masterpiece.