Three recs, espionage edition
A film about love and longing, a French-Algerian mystery novel, the best espionage TV show
Friends, as you’ll see in the recs, my husband recently discovered the spy genre. This is good news for me. I have long been a fan of spy novels, movies, and shows, which means that the list of things we can watch together has expanded beyond non-English-language films, The Sopranos, and The Thick of It.
It’s been fun watching him fall in love with the genre. Like I did as a teenager, he now sometimes pretends to be a spy, talking about his “spy instincts” and informing me that a spy doesn’t reveal information until it’s useful. Needless to say, I find this adorable.
What is it about spy stories that captivates so many of us? Is it the possibility that the world isn’t quite as mundane as it seems? Or the slim hope that maybe our ordinary lives could be more exciting?
I don’t actually think most of us care so much about our countries or any given cause that we would become secret agents, sacrificing everything in the name of information-gathering. Because that is, really, what most espionage is: gathering information. Sometimes trying to find the narrative within it. Trying to control the narrative, even.
It’s the consequences of this information-gathering that become dangerous and thrilling. The stories we love.
I don’t have an answer. If you have ideas, I’d love to hear them. And now, on to the recs!
Rec 1
Past Lives (film)
I feel like playwright and theater director Celine Song’s debut feature has been all the rage this year, but that usually means that only my industry friends have heard of it. Considering this is such a New York-centric story, I’m willing to bet a few of you New Yorkers have heard of it, too. I was thrilled to recognize a friend’s East Village stoop in it and she reported back that it’s now become a minor NY tourist attraction – so clearly some people are paying attention.
You know that feeling that your life could have gone differently – that you could have been a different person – if you’d made a different choice? Or maybe a different set of choices? Not that you’re unhappy where you landed, but you can’t help but wonder. That’s pretty much what this film is about. In the most beautiful, evocative, not-melodramatic way.
In this case, the people dealing with this are two childhood sweethearts who grew up together in Seoul, South Korea, before her family immigrated to Canada. They reconnect years later, but by the time they actually meet up, she is happily married and a successful playwright in NYC. (Yes, this is based on Celine Song’s own life.) There are layers upon layers of lives here, for both of them and for her husband. The choices we make, the paths our lives take us pay off in ways we’ll never see coming. I also especially loved the exploration of immigrant identity – how you’re always two people, with two different languages, and yet you’re never fully in either place.
One last thing: Go see this with someone else. You’re going to want to talk about it.
Where: In cinemas or on most streaming platforms. (But I suggest a cinema, followed by an evocative cocktail bar.)
Rec 2
This Is the Night They Come for You (book)
Apparently Robert Goddard is a very successful British crime/mystery novelist. I’d never heard of him until I was telling someone about a project I’m working on that’s set in Algeria and they suggested I check out his 2022 novel that’s largely about the fraught political relationship between France and Algeria in the latter half of the 20th century. I now understand why he’s so successful.
The wonderfully titled This Is the Night They Come for You was billed to me as sort of a detective story. And it is. But it’s also sort of a political spy thriller and an exploration of grief and a lot of other things besides. To be honest, it reminds me more of the movie The Bourne Identity than almost anything else. (Yes, that’s one of my favorite movies, so maybe I’m biased.) It’s smart and thrilling, a carefully plotted mystery that always stays one step ahead of the reader (or, me, anyway). The compelling characters – especially the mismatched Algerian investigative duo – are a delight to spend time with. And the unexpected resolution is a surprisingly satisfying one.
But these characters, their world, and the way they grapple with a past not yet quite behind us transcend the usual mystery, leaving behind something more than merely a puzzle unraveled.
A large part of this is due to the story’s grounding in the relatively recent history between France and its former colony. Most of what I knew about Algeria, going into this, predated its independence. We should all know more about what happened after. Because, as the story grapples with, the horrors of the past still define the present, and it’s hard to move forward without looking at the unsavory truth.
Where: Reserve it at your library or order from your non-Amazon bookseller of choice (like Bookshop US or Bookshop UK).*
*(In the name of full transparency, I’ve included affiliate links to Bookshop.org – if you’re going to order from them anyway, please use my link so I can make a little extra cash! If you want to see/order any/all of my book recs, I’ve made lists on Bookshop, too: US version, UK version.)
Rec 3
The Americans (TV)
Speaking of spy thrillers that are about so much more than what they seem to be about…
Look, I hope most of you Americans have already watched this FX show from 2013-2018. It is, in my book, objectively one of the best TV shows ever; it’s certainly one of my all-time favorites. Bafflingly, it was consigned to Channel 5 in the UK, which means barely anyone here has seen it – so I delight in being able to tell you Brits that your new favorite show still awaits you. Lest you doubt, my husband is my latest convert: after years putting it off, he recently discovered Le Carré and the spy genre, I quickly directed him to The Americans, and, less than two weeks later, we’re a season in. (Lest this sounds intimidating, seasons are only 10-13 episodes each.)
The deal: Keri Russell (of Felicity and previous rec The Diplomat) and Matthew Rhys (of Wales and previous rec Perry Mason) play deep-cover Soviet spies in 1980s DC – and their cover is as a married couple with two (real) kids. So they have to navigate running intelligence ops and assassinations, staying one step ahead of the FBI, and, of course, their marriage and family life. It’s fun, it’s thrilling, it’s full of killer supporting and guest performances (Margo Martindale!!), and it’s about so much more than spying. Can we ever truly know the people closest to us? How much can and do you subsume your identity to your partner and children? Is trust possible when we’re all liars in one way or another?
Best of all, FX believed in the show enough to let them end it the way they always planned to. And it’s one of the most satisfying TV show endings. How often does that happen?
Oh, who am I kidding? You just want to see captivating, charismatic actors pull off impossible espionage assignments in killer 1980s costumes. What are you waiting for?
Where: Disney+ (UK), Hulu (US)
That’s all for this week! What are you reading/watching/listening to that I should be aware of? Drop me a line (or comment) to let me know if you check out any of my recs and what you think.
Please spread the word and I’ll see you in a couple weeks!
xo
Kate
Did someone share this with you?
Hi Kate, I really enjoy your substack! I'm a big fan of the spy genre — if you have not yet watched The Bureau (French) you have not seen the best series yet. Highly recommend! Can be a difficult watch at times.
Tina Chovanec (the Mom of Emily and Nora)
This gave me the final push to watch The Americans! will keep you posted!
Also watched Past Lives this weekend. I think it's a great movie, and I loved the end. With that said, I'm afraid once again the amount of hype and expectations may have influenced how I feel about it...