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I Spy a Success
Emir Kusturica and Guillaume Canet shine in a cold war drama/thriller at the Newport Beach Film Festival
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A compelling story of Soviet and French espionage and the downfall of the Soviet Union is expertly retold on the screen by director Christian Carion and his two leads: Emir Kusturica and Guillaume Canet. “L’Affaire Farewell,” based on the book “Bonjour Farewell” by Serguei Kostine, is a success in every meaning of the word. It is able to turn the historical fact of a real-life story of international espionage into a gripping part drama, part thriller that educates, intrigues and entertains its audience all at once.
The story is of Vladimir Vetrov, a KGB defector who, from 1981–1982, passed on almost 4,000 secret documents over to the French DST. In “L’Affaire Farewell,” named for the Vetrov’s code-name “Farewell,” Vetrov is renamed Grigoriev and played by the well-cast Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica. Kusturica’s Russian and French are superb in the film, as is his acting, with which he is able to present a man’s inner struggle and defiant belief in changing the world.
His unassuming French counterpart, Pierre, to whom he passes on the documents, is played by Guillaume Canet, who just as seamlessly presents a character’s struggle to keep his family together and his lies in line.
The multiple deceptions and clever acting on their own could already make for a brilliant film, but Carion doesn’t stop there. He paints a picture of Soviet Russia at the time that is not only accurate, but fascinating down to the minor details. With references to the forbidden western culture and a scene that cuts back and forth between Grigoriev’s son Igor (Evgenie Kharlanov) and Freddy Mercury, Carion elegantly captures an important moment in world history.
The casting in the entire film is almost entirely flawless, with Philippe Magnan as Mitterrand. Fred Ward is cast as Reagan, who certainly has the right look, but who’s seemingly unnoticeable caricature of the 40th President’s character may have been too much. Of course, Willem Dafoe’s small role as the head of the CIA makes up for it all. Clearly, this man was born to play some sort of eccentric government agent.
The story comes full circle from start to finish and while its ending isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, it is most certainly an elegant farewell.