Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, The Secret Agent, directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho, emerges as one of the most striking political thrillers of the year. Set during Brazil’s oppressive 1970s military dictatorship, the film channels pulp fiction energy through a highly stylized lens. With vibrant visuals, sleazy hitmen, and surreal details — including a severed leg found in a shark’s stomach — it feels both hyper-real and grimly grounded in history.
The story follows Marcelo (Wagner Moura), a widowed academic who becomes entangled in the dangerous political underbelly of Recife during carnival. While working undercover at a government archive, Marcelo seeks proof of his late mother’s existence and attempts to secure the documents needed to flee the country with his young son. As two assassins close in, the city becomes a hotbed of corruption, repression, and eccentric chaos.
Moura delivers a compelling performance as a reluctant hero, navigating absurd and often grotesque scenarios with subtle wit and underlying melancholy. Supporting characters — from a delightfully eccentric safehouse keeper to a chillingly indifferent police chief — enrich the narrative with humanity and menace.
Despite its two-hour-and-forty-minute runtime and narrative detours, the film’s sense of place and time is immersive. Filho’s detailed homage to Recife’s 1970s atmosphere — from vintage cars to urban legends — adds texture to a film that explores memory, survival, and systemic cruelty.
Though not as emotionally delicate as I’m Still Here, The Secret Agent captivates with its originality, visual boldness, and relevance. It’s not just a noir thriller — it’s a haunting exploration of a dark historical chapter, brought vividly to life with humor, grit, and cinematic flair.
Source: BBC Culture
