Hollywood tends to have a misguided idea about the world of espionage. Still, we have James Bond. Many of the other best movie spies are modeled after the Ian Fleming character, and we love them. After all, what’s a spy movie without endless globetrotting and expensive cars? Filmmakers also understand what the market prefers, so they keep making spy blockbusters the same way.
Understandably, real spies hate Hollywood’s depiction of their job, and we can’t fault them for their frustration. When you have a risky job that has geopolitical ramifications, you wouldn’t be content with it being depicted inaccurately in any form of storytelling. You’d want the public to have a clear picture of what normally happens. Thankfully, several movies capture the espionage experience much more accurately, and a few real-world CIA agents recommended them to Spyscape. Others aren’t close, but they are entertaining, so the experts also suggested those.
10 Argo (2012)
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Argo
r
Biography DramaHistory
Thriller9.0/10
- Release Date
- October 12, 2012
- Runtime
- 120 Minutes
- Director
- Ben Affleck
Cast
-
Ben Affleck
-
Bryan Cranston
WHERE TO WATCH
Streaming
Argo recounts the 1979 incident where Iranian extremists stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran in retaliation for President Jimmy Carter’s decision to grant asylum to Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi after the Iranian Revolution that overthrew his monarchy. Most of the embassy staff were captured, but 66 escaped, so the CIA sent the extraction specialist, Tony Mendez, to get them out. His plan? Pose as a film director and pretend to be scout locations.
Detailed Insight into a Major Historical Event
This is arguably Ben Affleck’s best film. It is layered, fast-paced, and defined by great characterization. For that, it received a Best Picture Oscar nomination. Agents loved it too, with Peter Warmka — a former Senior Intelligence Officer with the CIA for over 20 years — praising it for “providing the public with great insight into one of the most important operations conducted against the Iranians with the support of the Canadian government.”
Buy or rent it on Amazon or Apple TV+
9 A Most Wanted Man (2014)
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A Most Wanted Man
- Release Date
- August 1, 2014
- Runtime
- 2h 2m
- Director
- Anton Corbijn
Cast
-
Phillip Seymour Hoffman
-
Rachel McAdams
-
Daniel Brühl
-
Robin Wright
WHERE TO WATCH
Streaming
Based on John le Carré’s novel of the same name, A Most Wanted Man stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as a senior German spy monitoring a political refugee from Chechnya who has entered the country illegally. However, the suspected terrorist’s plans aren’t as straightforward as initially thought.
A Most Necessary Film
This was Seymour Hoffman’s last completed film, and it sure was the perfect sendoff. His character has the best lines, ventriloquizing le Carré’s own views, and the picture as a whole is a perfect study on the misconceptions of spycraft. Doug Peterson, a former CIA agent specializing in security and firearms, says it “does a great job of capturing the moral ambiguity of espionage.”
Stream it on Max
8 Red Joan (2018)
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Red Joan
5.0/10
- Release Date
- September 13, 2018
- Runtime
- 101
- Director
- Trevor Nunn
- Writers
- Lindsay Shapero
Cast
-
Alfie Allen
-
Kim Allen
A searing semi-biopic, Red Joan follows the personal and professional travails of Joan Stanley (Judi Dench), a widow who previously worked for Tube Alloys during World War II. All is well for her until the British Secret Service arrests her, charging her with providing classified scientific information about the building of the atomic bomb to the Soviet government for decades. As the interrogation gets underway, Joan relives the dramatic events that shaped her life and her beliefs.
Dame Dench Understands the Spy Business
Filmed in the usual gray and blue hue, Red Joan is a reminder of the existential agonies that stem from gender-based persecution, and former CIA agent Christina Hillsberg appreciates how “extremely well done this depiction of female spying in the ‘40s is.” Overall, it’s refreshing to see Dame Dench in a spy movie that has nothing to do with Bond. Here, she gives a wrenching performance, conveying the turmoil and isolative temperament of the titular character. A gutsy turn by Ben Miles as her attorney/son also gives the film an edgy emotional force.
Stream it on AMC+ or Kanopy
Related
10 Spy TV Shows Based on True Stories
Spy shows like The Looming Tower and Our Boys tell the stories of real world spies, and there are a few more like them.
7 The Little Drummer Girl (1984)
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The Little Drummer Girl
- Release Date
- October 19, 1984
- Runtime
- 130 minutes
- Director
- George Roy Hill
Cast
-
Diane Keaton
Charlie
-
Yorgo Voyagis
Joseph
-
Klaus Kinski
Martin Kurtz
-
Sami Frey
Khalil
WHERE TO WATCH
RENT
BUY
Espionage requires plenty of creativity, and in The Little Drama Girl, Mossad figures out that the best way to capture a Palestine Liberal Organization (PLO) bomber is by turning an American actress, Charlie (Diane Keaton), into a double agent. Known for her anti-Zionist beliefs (opposition against the formation of the state of Israel), Charlie is the perfect candidate to infiltrate the PLO and crack it from within.
A Closer Look at the Israeli-Palestine Conflict
Marc Polymeropoulos, a former CIA intelligence service officer and expert on leadership, counterterrorism, and foreign policy, says Little Drummer Girl “demonstrated the nuances of agent handling.” Perhaps the movie staggers by being too loyal to the source material (some characters are similar, hence they could have been merged into composite form), but the performances compensate.
Stream it on Tubi or Plex
6 Syriana (2005)
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Syriana
R
Drama Thriller8.0/10
- Release Date
- November 23, 2005
- Runtime
- 128 Minutes
- Director
- Stephen Gaghan
Cast
-
Kayvan Novak
-
George Clooney
WHERE TO WATCH
RENT
BUY
Syriana stars George Clooney as a do-gooder CIA operative assigned to assassinate a powerful Middle Eastern prince, whom the agency has misidentified as being the financier behind the acquisition of a dangerous missile. The film is notable for being shot in 200 different locations on five continents and for giving Clooney a serious injury during a torture scene.
Arguably Clooney's Best Film
More aptly titled See No Evil in the source material, this quintessential spy story is indeed a pungently acerbic portrayal of the dangerous intrigues that can hatch in apparently close-knit corporate, political, and espionage communities. Lindsay Moran, an ex-CIA expert on covert operations, intelligence, and disinformation, was blown away by the film, stating that it “shows how espionage is an integral component of geopolitical systems with myriad micro and macro ripple effects.”
Buy or rent it on Amazon or Apple TV+
5 North by Northwest (1959)
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North By Northwest
pg-13
Adventure Mystery Thriller9.0/10
- Release Date
- September 8, 1959
- Runtime
- 136 minutes
- Director
- Alfred Hitchcock
Cast
-
Eva Marie Saint
-
James Mason
WHERE TO WATCH
Streaming
Hitchcock should never miss out on a list like this, given that he helped create a template for modern-day spy movies. Thankfully, real spies recognize his genius. North by Northwest sees New York City ad executive Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) being pursued by sinister figures after being mistaken for a mysterious government spy.
No One Does It Like Hitchcock
The heart-racing spy story is wholly bewitching, and not just because it puts an action twist on a dull genre. The movie's plot — involving the decision to create a fake agent to distract criminal masterminds — is a real strategy in global espionage, so audiences will get to learn a thing or two. Darrell Blocker, a former CIA officer and expert on security, risk, and crisis management, was ecstatic, naming the Hitchcock movie as his "all-time favorite Cold War spy movie."
Stream it on WatchTCM or Tubi
4 The Good Shepherd (2006)
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The Good Shepherd
R
DramaHistory
Thriller
3 /5
9.0/10
- Release Date
- December 22, 2006
- Runtime
- 167 minutes
- Director
- Robert De Niro
Cast
-
Matt Damon
-
Angelina Jolie
WHERE TO WATCH
Streaming
RENT
BUY
The Good Shepherd is one of two movies directed by Robert De Niro. Led by a star-studded cast that includes Matt Damon, Joe Pesci, Alec Baldwin, and Angelina Jolie, it dwells on the early days of the CIA, explaining how it morphed from the OSS into what it is now. A key plot involves the discovery of a mole following the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion in the early ‘60s.
De Niro Steps Out of His Comfort Zone
De Niro wisely took this layered project as a change of pace from his usual crime and comedy works, and he surprisingly does a good job here — and what a marvelous team of actors he had to work with! Ex-agent Lindsay Moran chimes in once again, appreciating how the film “captures the inherent loneliness and alienation of being an intelligence officer, as well as the toll it takes on personal and familial relationships.”
Stream it on Prime Video
3 The Hunt for Red October (1990)
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The Hunt for Red October
PG
Thriller10.0/10
- Release Date
- March 2, 1990
- Runtime
- 135 Minutes
- Director
- John McTiernan
Cast
-
Sean Connery
-
Alec Baldwin
WHERE TO WATCH
Streaming
Based on the popular Tom Clancy novel, The Hunt for Red October follows Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery), who has abandoned his orders and is now headed for the East Coast of the United States. CIA agent Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) thus gets to work, seeking to determine whether Marko intends to defect or is about to launch an attack.
A Major Treat for Jack Ryan Fans
One of John McTiernan’s best works, The Hunt for Red October, is a marvel of rhythm and aesthetic. An indelible portrait of desperation and mayhem, the movie is held together by Sean Connery, whose wearied visage conveys all we need to know about Captain Marko's inner turmoil.
Rosanna Minchew, a former CIA expert on spy recruitment and computer forensics, admits she has repeatedly watched the film, noting that “the motivation for Sean Connery’s character, Marko Ramius, to defect, is personal and an awakening - the death of his wife at the hands of an incompetent system.” She also enjoyed the film’s “game of perception versus reality.”
Stream it on Max
Related
Top 10 Must-Watch World War II Spy Thrillers
Spies from the Allied and Axis sides were crucial in shaping World War II's trajectory. The following movies show how they pulled it off.
2 Spy (2015)
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Spy
R
Comedy Action9.1/10
- Release Date
- June 15, 2015
- Runtime
- 120 Minutes
- Director
- Paul Feig
- Writers
- Paul Feig
Cast
-
Melissa McCarthy
-
Rose Byrne
Now, here is a surprise choice. Few would expect a spy-comedy to make it into a list like this, but the world of espionage is not all doom and gloom. It has its funny moments, too. In Spy, desk agent, Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy), is forced to go on her first outdoor mission when the field agent she was working with gets murdered.
Spies Can Play a Little
You’ll love Susan. She is a complicated, conflicted spy who appreciates the respect accorded her because of her profession, while secretly suffocating from the strictures and seclusion that go with it. The film’s attention to detail while addressing the frustration of desk agents sometimes clashes with the inclusion of goofy moments, but it hardly matters. Spy lives up to its lofty Hollywood pedigree. Lindsay Moran says, “It's hilarious,” and you’ll agree after watching.
1 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
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Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
R
Drama Documentary Mystery Thriller9.0/10
- Release Date
- September 16, 2011
- Runtime
- 127
- Director
- Tomas Alfredson
- Writers
- John le Carré, Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan
Cast
-
Mark Strong
-
John Hurt
John le Carré’s popular book had already been adapted into an award-winning BBC miniseries in the ‘70s, starring Sir Alec Guinness, so Studio Canal’s choice to make a movie was a major gamble. Thankfully, the big screen Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a blast, telling the same story of the veteran spy, George Smiley (Gary Oldman), recalled from retirement to flush out a mole.
Worth the Price of Admission
Packed with harbingers and unwilling to solve the game of “Guess who is the mole?” too quickly, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy holds audiences captive throughout its entire running time. Alex Finlay, an ex-CIA expert on Russian intel, disinformation, and counterterrorism, singles out this picture as one of two John le Carré adaptations that are very authentic. “Movies like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, and A Most Wanted Man do a good job of capturing the moral ambiguities of spying, as well as the complexity of operations and the frustrations of bureaucratic turf wars.”
Buy it on Amazon or Apple TV+
