FOREIGN FILMS. “The Secret Agent.” / “The Big Fake.” / “Schneider vs. Bax.” / “7 Years.”

“The Secret Agent” (2025, Hulu) Brazilian historical political thriller. Armando is a former professor caught in the political turmoil in the midst of the Brazilian military dictatorship, attempting to flee persecution and resist an authoritarian regime. 


       A visually intriguing and eerily dark political thriller, featuring the fiercely convincing performance of Wagner Moura as Marcelo, a former professor trapped in the 1970s' Brazilian military dictatorship's oppressive claws, under strongman Emilio Garrastazu Medici. While the story is fiction, the narrative is based on real events.

       Kleber Mendonca Fiho's old-school direction reminds us of the less complex but visually articulate cinema of decades ago, before the 21st century. The emphasis is on the storytelling. 🎥💻📽


“The Big Fake” (2025, Netflix) Italian crime drama. In Rome in the 1970s, Toni arrived in the city with the dream of becoming a great artist. But his hunger for life, destiny and perhaps even history will lead him to become the greatest of all forgers.

 


      This series is craftily photographed and tightly written, and deftly directed by Stefano Lodovichi. Already, the “art fakery” premise offers a compelling narrative but Mr Lodovichi managed to intersperse the back-stories to keep the excitement high. 

       But the show's real charm is lead performer Pietro Castellitto as the art forger Toni. Debonair, mysterious and flirty.

       Expectedly, this film reached second place in the Netflix Global Top 10 of non-English language films at the time of its first week of release, behind South Korea's “The Art of Sarah.” 🎥💻📽


“Schneider vs. Bax” (2015, Plex) Dutch comedy thriller. The story of a contract killer who has one day to assassinate a reclusive writer. 



       I don't categorize this movie as a comedy though. More drama, but a weird sort. But then not an example of an entertaining A24 absurdity. 

       The entire film pretty much takes place in a singular setting. Schneider (Tom Dewispelaere) and Bax (Alex van Warmerdam) try to kill each other. But that's not all. Go check it out. 🎥💻📽


“7 Years” (2006, Tubi) French drama. The film explores the sexual tension between a wife and a husband serving a long jail sentence. 


       A typical European indie feature, “7 Years” is an understated craft of minimalism. A sparse storyline but not-too talky. Credits to writer/director Jean Pascal Hattu the New Director's Showcase Special Jury Prize in the Seattle International Film Festival in 2007.

       And, of course, the restrained acting of Valerie Donzelli whose navigation of Maite won her the Best Actress plum in 2007's Valencia Festival of Mediterranean Cinema. 🎥💻📽


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