The Debt is a brilliant espionage thriller with an amazing cast that is led by two standout performances from Helen Mirren and Jessica Chastain, who actually play the same character. The film is about a top-secret mission and centers around revenge and retribution. But the story takes you deep in to the characters’ soul and shows us how their jobs and the secrets they must keep haunt their lives. The film is smart and gripping, and makes us think about the stories we hear and the people we view as heroes.
The film begins in 1997 when retired Mossad secret agents, Rachel (Mirren) and Stephan (Tom Wilkinson) learn that David (Ciaran Hinds), their former partner, is dead. His death is only the beginning of the unraveling of their operation of top-secret Israeli revenge back in 1966. For decades, David, Stephan, and Rachel have been celebrated by their country for tracking down, capturing, and killing Dieter Vogel (Jesper Christensen), a Nazi war criminal and doctor who did terrible, unspeakable things to Jewish men, women, and children.
However, the story they tell may not be how it all actually went down and maybe their mission wasn’t completely accomplished. The story goes back and forth from 1997 to 1966 when the younger versions of David (Sam Worthington) , Rachel (Chastain), and Stephan (Marton Csokas) first meet and begin to plan and execute their mission to capture Vogel. We find out what went wrong along with their romances, secrets, and lies they have lived with through the decades.
The Debt can be a tricky film, but if you stick with it, you will not be disappointed. Director John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) keeps the audience on their toes and right when you think you may know what one of the characters are going to do, you better think again. The characters of David, Rachel, and Stephan have their mysteries, but it is the life of a secret agent that has left them cold, quiet, and emotionless. But as things begin to get out of control, their feelings begin to show and that may not be a good sign for their secret operation or their personal safety.
The most powerful performances in the film come from Chastain and Mirren. Now we already know what Mirren is fully capable of with her performances in Gosford Park, The Last Station and The Queen. Playing Rachel, she is a woman scarred, physically and emotionally, from her younger days and the baggage she has been carrying for 30 years has torn her down. But she finds hope and redemption by trying to take care of some unfinished business in her life.
And Chastain has burst onto the scene this year by being in films like The Tree of Life and The Help. It is so refreshing to see her play completely different women in these films. Even in the early stages of her career, Chastain is showing she has what it takes to become one of the best. Her performance in The Debt is just as powerful as her others from this year. As the younger Rachel, we get to see what she had to go through and the sacrifices she had to make as a young secret agent and what she lost in the process.
While the two women are the heart and emotion of the film, I must say Worthington shows a greater range than we have ever seen before. We are used to seeing him in big-budget action movies (Avatar, Terminator Salvation, Clash of the Titans) where dialogue doesn’t play as much of a part as they do in dramatic thrillers such as this film. But he does a great job playing David and shows the audience he is capable of being vulnerable and showing real emotion.
The Debt isn’t so much of an action movie, but when there is action, it is quick, violent, and brutal. This film tells us about three people who were once young and had to carry out a mission that most could not have handled or completed. They were trained secret agents who wanted justice, not only for them, but for their country. But they paid a considerable price for what they had to do, and as they get older, it becomes unbearable and too much to handle.
The Debt is a spy thriller with a human touch that entertains but makes you think as well. It contains excellent performances from the entire cast with Mirren and Chastain taking charge. It has its dramatic moments and is definitely tense throughout. The film has its surprises, but the biggest surprise is how well-crafted the story is and whether you are in 1997 or 1966, The Debt still keeps you interested and intrigued all the way to the end.
“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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