What makes it different from others?

Some things I liked some I did not.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

About me: I'm 44 old male, so I watched a lot of movies in my lifetime.Story-Line: Upon learning that his former partner (Brad Pitt) has been caught by the Chinese, veteran CIA operative Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) does his best to help him.About the Movie: In a few cases, all of the movie elements come together in perfect harmony. But in most cases, some of the parts outperform others, as it is with the "Spy Game". But, don't get me wrong, it is not a bad movie, but also it is not that good, especially towards ending, making you to expect a big action scene, but there is no pay off. Never the less, film did entertained me. Also, Redford and Pitt worked well together and Redford embodies Muir with tremendous intelligence and the wits to react to nearly every situation. The final result is an above-average spy film that surpasses the limitations of its script.Verdict: "Spy Game" is thriller for grown-ups about spies who manipulate their "assets" with brains, not explosives. Is flick good? I personally thought so. Do I think that it could have been improved with some some additional touches? Of course. But, in the end, I found myself satisfied. I understand that sometimes people simply want to be entertained, so for those into spy flicks or die-hard fans of the two leads, "Spy Game" is definitely recommended, for others, not so sure. Rating: 8- (only 'cos I like Spy flicks)Favorite quote: (Gladys Jennip:) Feeling a little paranoid on our last day?(Nathan Muir:) When did Noah build the ark Gladys? Before the rain.

You want entertainment, well here it is. However, you have to follow the movie to get the full pay-offs and there are quite a few. The dialog especially. It will answer all your questions in the end if you can remember. I watched the movie twice a few months apart and it made lots of sense second time out. The main character shows us just what he did do at the CIA by using his powers to get a friend out of trouble at the same time trying to keep himself out of trouble too. Add to the fact it is his last day at work, so we have time pressures. Working smarter not harder produces tense, thriller action. The actors of course deliver the goods and the director had his heart in his work. Recommend sunflower seeds or popcorn so as not to bite nails during some parts. Tasty drink and no texting or cell phones. Let the movie have you and you wont be sorry for the two hours worth of watching. Must see twice for maximum marrow and I do recommend captions on too

In 1991, CIA agent Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) is captured trying to help Elizabeth Hadley (Catherine McCormack) escape Chinese PLA Su Chou prison. Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) on his last day before retirement tries to navigate the politically sensitive situation. He recruited sniper Bishop back in '75 Vietnam for a mission.Director Tony Scott is making a slick espionage movie with two of the greatest stars in the universe. This should be better but it's only passable. Scott is pulling out all the editing tricks to artificially juice up the excitement. I'm not sure it fits the material but it's perfectly watchable. It wants to be an action movie when it's more of a tense chess game.

Part of the story is set in the present as senior CIA people respond to the capture and impending execution of an agent, Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt), who has been caught trying to rescue someone from a Chinese prison, but who, and why? They want to get the personal files of Bishop from Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) who has been Bishop's controller. There is a flashback as Muir tells of meeting Bishop in Vietnam, where Bishop is a sniper, and another when Bishop is recruited when in Berlin.We see the mentor/student relationship develop, we see aspects of both their personalities and also that of the whole CIA culture.When Muir learns that Bishop is at Su Chou prison, he realises who Bishop was trying to rescue and why. There is another flashback to tell about Bishop's meeting with Elizabeth Hadley (Catherine McCormack), and what follows.Hadley is an aid worker at a refugee camp in Beirut where Muir and Bishop have come to assassinate a terrorist commander. Bishop very quickly moves into Hadley's apartment. There is no explicit bed-wrestling, just a couple of early-morning scenes. This low-key approach by the writers makes a much stronger impression. We can see they are deeply committed.But Muir knows about Hadley's background and regards her as a threat both to Bishop and all the CIA's operations, so he organises her abduction and rendition to China.Six years go by. When Bishop is in Hong Kong, he hears about a white woman in a nearby prison and realises it must be his love, hence the rescue attempt, which very nearly succeeds.When Muir hears that the "company" will not even try to negotiate for the release of Bishop, he forges the Director's signature to authorise a "Plan B" that Bishop had prepared, and he uses his life's savings to bribe a power company manager to turn off the lights for thirty minutes. Plan "B" proceeds and succeeds, and Muir can retire happily.Redford and Pitt and McCormack play their parts superbly. They really become the characters. There are some great scenes, with great dialogue. The writers have done a great job, with some neat philosophical gems by Muir. Other actors are also great, Stephen Dillane, Marianne Jean-Baptiste especially.Only rated an 8, mainly because the movie really needs to be seen two or three times to pick up the connections between some incidents.