Wife of a Spy

“Critic’s Pick! Thrum[s] with unusual intensity… Wife of a Spy is something like linear narrative perfection, with every scene perfectly calibrated.”

"Kiyoshi Kurosawa's best movie in years… Another unexpected pivot from a filmmaker who’s never liked putting one foot in front of the other."

“A period drama with distinct Hitchcockian overtones... in the vintage of Suspicion and Notorious.”

“An absorbing, exotic, well-paced thriller.”

“A suspenseful homefront scenario worthy of John le Carré’s storied blend of tradecraft, history and insight into the ramifications of duplicity… with elements of a Hitchcock-style swirl of marital intrigue, entrapment, and escape.”

“An old-fashioned drama replete with big performances and plot twists, double-cross and triple-cross.”

"One of Kurosawa's most purely enjoyable entertainments… powered by Yu Aoi’s bravura performance."

“Preserves the psychological richness of the spy drama… Aoi’s performance is a celebration of the cathartic possibilities of melodrama as she emphatically yells, cries, giggles and yearns.”

“A historical tale of duplicity and misplaced loyalty.”

“Majestic, and with just the right amount of customary foreboding Kurosawa is known for... [a] haltingly lush melodrama of wartime horrors.”

"A work of someone in masterful control of atmosphere... Kurosawa brings viewers into the ghastly secret that binds husband and wife together, one that could end their lives if discovered."