Wife of a Spy

The devastating revelation of what Yusaku is really keeping hidden-or, perhaps, trying to expose-puts a political frame around the action while calling back to the apocalyptic horrors of Kurosawa's previous genre masterpieces.

The smooth Yusaku drives the action, but the film's soul is Satoko, a woman in love who just wants to do the right thing.

Kurosawa hits high marks by staring a story straight in the eyes, and finessing every narrative bump to deliver the smoothest, most satisfying historical drama you're likely to see this fall.

It's a great movie about fear, paranoia, and trying to do the right thing.

With "Wife of a Spy," a melodramatic wartime period piece, prolific Japanese horror director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, known for balancing psychological thrills with introspective meditations, is discovering a different, more mysterious ground.

Wife of a Spy takes time getting going, but it is immaculately turned, from its superb acting and exquisite cinematography to its finely-tooled plotting.

Wife of a Spy is a layered and subtle drama that carries more significance than what is initially seen.

We have seen a lot of spy thrillers set in Europe, usually with American or British spies, but WIFE OF A SPY is a bit different. This, the latest film from Kiyoshi Kurosawa, is set in 1940 in Japan, and has as its spy a Japanese businessman.

Only a seasoned storyteller like Kurosawa could pull it off, and hes aided in his quest by co-writer Ryusuke Hamaguchi. If that isnt a cinematic match made in heaven, what is?

Kurosawa's effort doesn't feel like a state-approved film. Quite the opposite. Some Japanese politicians would prefer to neatly pack away its less savory role in the war.