The Secret Agent Movie Review (2025)

A well-paced espionage drama with surreal touches, The Secret Agent is intriguing and creatively constructed, even if it never fully settles into place.

With the Academy Awards for 2025 films airing a few days ago, I had a chance to watch a lot of the nominated films, but not all of them. This movie has been on my list since it was originally in the theaters, but because of life, I didn’t get to it before the awards show. It’s never too late to correct a mistake, though.

The Secret Agent takes place in 1977 Brazil during carnival. A military dictatorship has taken over, and former researcher Armando has returned to Recife to reunite with his young son, Fernando, and move to safety. Visiting his deceased wife’s parents, who are caring for Fernando, he soon goes into witness protection of sorts, meets other residents at that complex, and hides in plain sight under a different name while waiting for his papers to come through. At the same time, another man hires two hitmen to find Armando and take him out.

This is a fascinating film, but not for the reasons I initially expected. It is lovely to watch, set in the 1970s, with gorgeous costumes and haircuts, and lots of sweaty people overheating in the weather. Bellies are out, and shirts are open, with cigarette smoking in cars, and beachgoers with tans that let you know that sunscreen isn’t a “thing” yet.

The tone lives in a slightly quirky, slow-building anxiety land, where you never quite know where the story is going or what will happen with any of the characters. There is a very general through line, but so many characters are introduced – a few of whom live decades later – that you are always waiting for everything to come together, and it only kind of happens.

This is a 2-hour 40-minute film, but it doesn’t feel that long while you are watching it. The pacing is measured, staying consistent until the last half hour, when things pick up a bit.

There are some odd moments in The Secret Agent that are surreal in nature and never explained. For example, there is a cat that one character observes as having two faces. Why? They never come back to it. But it leaves you with this unsettling feeling that either you are missing something or the movie is messing with you. It doesn’t detract from the film at all – it adds to it, but it’s uncanny.

Also, this movie very deliberately keeps you at arm’s length. Armando is a man on the run and not willing to be vulnerable – with you or with anyone. You’re never allowed to get too involved, even though you’d like to, so again, it feels like director Kleber Mendonça Filho is teasing you.

I’m glad that I finally watched The Secret Agent and that it has been awarded many trophies and accolades since last year. It is different from every other film that I can think of, but you’ll have to watch it yourself to find out why. It is in its own lane.

Runtime: 160 minutes

Motion Picture Rating: R

Languages Spoken In The Film: Portuguese, German, and English with English subtitles

Should You Watch It? Yes

Did I Cry? Nope

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Available: Free on Hulu and Disney+, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms