Spy Game

"It's not how you play the game. It's how the game plays you."

2001 2h 6m EN

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 2,458

ActionCrimeThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

On the day of his retirement, a veteran CIA agent learns that his former protégé has been arrested in China, is sentenced to die the next morning in Beijing, and that the CIA is considering letting that happen to avoid an international scandal.

“It's not how you play the game. It's how the game plays you.”

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Cast

Robert Redford
Nathan Muir
Brad Pitt
Tom Bishop
Catherine McCormack
Elizabeth Hadley
Stephen Dillane
Charles Harker
Larry Bryggman
Troy Folger
Marianne Jean-Baptiste
Gladys Jennip
Matthew Marsh
Dr. Byars
Todd Boyce
Robert Aiken

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Tony Scott
Writers: Michael Frost Beckner, David Arata, Michael Frost Beckner
Languages: Cantonese, English, German, Arabic, French
Countries: France, Germany, Japan, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

$115M budget — tentpole studio territory.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

25 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 5 languages: Cantonese, English, German, Arabic, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 4 countries: France, Germany, Japan, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Tony Scott, shot by Dan Mindel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Harry Gregson-Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Christian Wagner shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Robert Redford and Brad Pitt and Catherine McCormack carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Tony Scott directs. Dan Mindel behind the camera. Harry Gregson-Williams scores. Christian Wagner cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in France, Germany, Japan, United States of America. Dialogue in Cantonese, English, German, Arabic, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1$115M budget — tentpole studio territory.
225 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Dialogue crosses 5 languages: Cantonese, English, German, Arabic, French.
4International production across 4 countries: France, Germany, Japan, United States of America.
5Directed by Tony Scott, shot by Dan Mindel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Harry Gregson-Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Christian Wagner shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Robert Redford and Brad Pitt and Catherine McCormack carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "It's not how you play the game. It's how the game plays you.".
10IMDB entry: tt0266987 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 9 themes, including "vietnam war", "palestinian-israeli conflict", "central intelligence agency (cia)", "china".