While this is a truly overstuffed episode, it’s worth it just to hear Sean connect all the dots with regard to various people’s Hollywood careers and how they relate to one another.
In today’s episode we look at the lives of spies after they’re done being government employees. Our first film is 1998’s Ronin, directed by John Frankenheimer. In this one, Robert DeNiro is a freelancing former U.S. Intelligence Agent who tries to track down a mysterious package wanted by the Irish and the Russians. He’s got help from the likes of Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, and a few others, but there are all kinds of machinations and double-crosses going on.
Not to be outdone is Duplicity, from 2009, written and directed by Tony Gilroy. This film stars Julia Roberts and Clive Owen as the former government spies, now working in the land of corporate espionage. And once again, nobody is who they seem to be. It’s a little confusing at first but it’s a genuine romp.
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
In our next episode we move away from the big cities to check out a couple of films set in relatively small towns. First we look at 1993’s Dazed and Confused, directed by Richard Linklater. It’s got more going for it than being the source of most peoples’ impression of Matthew McConnaghey. Then we head to the Florida Panhandle to see Ashley Judd in her first starring role, in Ruby in Paradise, also from 1993 and written/directed by Victor Nunez.