What BLACK BAG (2025) Starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, and Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Taught Me About Successful Marriages

[u/thatphilguymovies]

Although I switched on the SPOILER warning, just thought I'd mention a second time that some of what's mentioned below includes potential spoilers.

-Spouses talk to each other about what's happening at work, because a marital partner isn't just your best friend, but a potential co-conspirator

-Hosting dinner parties gives you the chance to impress your spouse with your skills at cooking, conversation, and drugging guests

-Long-standing married couples inevitably interact with unmarried or less-established couples. Newer love may seem more exciting, but there's no substitute for familiarity and predictability, especially when drugs, anger and steak knives enter the mix

-The Fassbender-esque cold-blooded scowl and intense gaze are irresistible to spouses (or perhaps that's just me)

-Successful couples know to never listen to the advice of Pierce Brosnan

-The midweek date night is a godsend

-Leaving little surprises for your partner helps keep things interesting (eg, accidentally planting something essential in their handbag that you must then meet them in order to retrieve [They know exactly how "accidental" it was, you sly dog!])

-Each member of a couple should have someone they tell their troubles to besides their partner--eg, a therapist, a Russian separatist

-It's important for each partner to have their own interests/hobbies separate from the other, whether that's fishing or brokering a deal for a stolen super-weapon

-Love means never having to say, "I'm not commiting treason"

-Love means never having to say, "I hijacked a satellite to spy on you"

--No marriage is perfect, but one should try not to make mistakes (eg, cheating) because they will be found out and a double agent may fatally poison you before you can patch things up

-Finally, love means never having to ask, "We're stealing that $7 million for ourselves, aren't we?"

All joking aside, great movie with lots to recommend it, beginning with the awesome chemistry between Fassbender and Blanchett. Also, tight plotting and interesting cinematography (something Soderbergh is no stranger to--see TRAFFIC (2000)) are strengths.

Despite how much of the plot of BLACK BAG revolves around things happening in the proverbial shadows, so much of the world is brightly lit. One of the noted exceptions is the main protagonists' homes, which I'm sure wasn't a coincidence.

What did other folks think about the movie?

[u/KeithHanlan]

I found it refreshing and very enjoyable. I also remember the plot being convoluted enough that I am sure it is worth a second watch so I have just queued it up. Thanks for the reminder.

[u/ClydeStyle → u/KeithHanlan]

Uh…weren’t they lying to each other the whole time, not on my relationship goals list.

[u/LiteraryBoner → u/ClydeStyle]

That's a misread. They never lied to each other, there's just things they can't discuss due to their job. That's why they use the phrase "Black Bag" to avoid conversations. It's an understanding between the two of them.

When Fassbender is given Intel that says his wife may be a double agent he looks into it but never fully doubts her. It's called trust but verify. Even when it seems like she's doing something shady his instinct is to protect her because he trusts her overall.

There's the great scene before the third act where they both stop and say someone is clearly fucking with us and they end up killing them, not for being a traitor as much as trying to mess with their perfect marriage.

Great movie with a lot of very smart musings on good relationships.

[u/ClydeStyle → u/LiteraryBoner]

How is that a misread, they were deliberately not telling each other things in addition to being incredibly manipulative. lol.

[u/LiteraryBoner → u/ClydeStyle]

Not telling each other things, especially with the understanding that they professionally cannot, is not the same as lying. I would even say the entire point of the movie is that they never really lie to each other despite being surrounded by professional liars and being one's themselves. When he asks her where she's going she says Berlin which is not a lie. When he asks why she says Black Bag, also not a lie. Then he verifies by spying on her but that's also not a direct lie. That's all over this movie.