The Debt

Editorial

For the most part, this anglicised update is a thoughtful, emotional and sharply acted thriller aimed squarely at those who like cogitation in the cinema.

The plot skips between 1965 and 1997, as it follows the story of three Israeli agents (Jessica Chastain, Sam Worthington and Marton Csokas in the past; Mirren, Wilkinson and Ciarán Hinds in the "present"). A fairly straightforward tale of revenge, duty and lies, it's the performances that really carry this along.

Almost everyone does solid work, with the clear highlight being the combination of shooting star Chastain and accomplished stalwart Mirren as Rachel Singer, a woman we meet on her first mission and, also, as a troubled veteran looking back at the job that left her forever scarred.

More than rising to the challenge, Chastain pulses with strength and vulnerability, while Mirren is just as good as the haunted older version of Rachel. If there's a weak link among the ensemble it's Worthington. While he can handle David's burning desire for duty, his accent is often atrocious, and he doesn't quite have the chops to stand alongside the others.

The film itself is effective, letting the script — by Jane Goldman, Peter Straughan and Matthew Vaughn — support the acting, as well as offering up a portrait of a Nazi who is, by turns, chilling and human.

The downside is a badly misjudged finale, which swaps the logical, necessary action of earlier scenes for a silly confrontation, meaning it stumbles at the last. But although it threatens to drag everything else down, the quality of what comes before is enough to make The Debt worthwhile.

James White