Red Sparrow (2018)

After a ballerina (Jennifer Lawrence) is injured in an "accident", she is recruited by Russian intelligence and asked to seduce an American CIA agent (Joel Edgerton) in order to find out who the mole (passing secrets to the U.S.) is in the Russian intelligence. Based on the novel by Jason Matthews and directed by Francis Lawrence (HUNGER GAMES). The "cold war" may be over but the climate is perfect for this intense spy thriller what with Putin's Russia in the headlines. This isn't your typical action Bondian spy thriller and the focus is on Lawrence's character and her journey from a vulnerable ballet dancer to cold blooded killer. Lawrence has never looked more glamorous on screen but it's her commitment to the role that makes her (and the film) so compelling. It's certainly one of the most violent films I've seen recently and I had to turn my face away more than once during some of the graphic torture scenes. What happened to the NC-17 rating? While it's Lawrence's film all the way, a couple of supporting performances stand out, notably Mary Louise Parker as Senator's assistant being blackmailed by the Soviets and Charlotte Rampling as the headmistress of a school for spies. Also in the cast: Jeremy Irons, Matthias Schoenaerts, Joely Richardson and Ciaran Hinds.