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Black Doves is a recent spy thriller released on Netflix, and it's an interesting blend of thrills, action, romance, and comedy. It has every element to make it interesting - spy operatives in deep cover, government conspiracies, and several plots converging into one. Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw head the series as best friends and covert operatives. Keira Knightley plays Helen, who is deep undercover, married to the Ministry of Defense. Ben Whishaw plays Sam, an assassin who comes back from hiding to help Helen get out of trouble when her cover threatens to be blown.
Besides the thrills, Black Doves has some unexpected elements: the characters riff off of each other with witty conversations, injecting some dark comedy into the series. There are also moments of warmth and love juxtaposed with the coldness of a spy's work, to emphasize that these are also people needing love and affection. If you liked Black Doves and all of these elements, there are similar movies that can help make the blues of finishing a season go away (at least before you decide to rewatch it or before season 2 comes out).
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Black Doves
Black Doves is a drama series that centers on the complex interplay of espionage and personal relationships. Focused on Helen Webb, a seasoned spy striving to balance her covert missions with a turbulent family life, the series delves into themes of loyalty, betrayal, and sacrifice. Starring Keira Knightley, it examines the moral ambiguities faced by those who live double lives in service to their countries.
Release Date December 5, 2024
Seasons 1
Creator(s) Joe Barton
11 'Atomic Blonde' (2017)
Directed by David Leitch
Atomic Blonde is about covert spies and revealing secret identities, but it also has a lot more action and creative fight scenes than Black Doves. This doesn't make it worse - or better - but it depends on what the audiences are looking for after the Netflix series. Atomic Blonde was an expected hit in 2017, right after Charlize Theron awed as an action hero in Mad Max: Fury Road. In Atomic Blonde, she's special MI6 agent, Lorraine Broughton, tasked to find a stolen list of sleeper agents in Berlin. Her visit to the city is soon marked by fighting with the KGB and suspecting every single person she comes in contact with.
Though things are less subtle in Atomic Blonde compared to Black Doves, the movie seems to have wanted a style over substance approach, adding more visual appeal with Theron's looks and the cinematography. The story is full of plot twists and surprises, but it's most of all full of impressive and deliriously entertaining fight scenes. Director David Leitch skillfully included a ten-minute single-take fight that looks exhausting for Theron, but amazing to the audience. The movie evokes the Cold War era and Berlin's vibes perfectly, including the song 99 Luftballons in the soundtrack.
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An undercover MI6 agent is sent to Berlin during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and recover a missing list of double agents.
Release Date July 26, 2017
Runtime 115 minutes
10 'Allied' (2016)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Image via Paramount Pictures
On to some more romantic spy stuff, Allied is Robert Zemeckis' WWII spy thriller with a forbidden love in its center. The screenplay was written by Steven Knight, whose work usually guarantees a meaty story and an interesting array of characters and plots (he created Peaky Blinders, See, and Taboo). Brad Pitt stars in his second romantic spy role after Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but this time, he's a Canadian pilot on a secret mission in Casablanca with a French Resistance fighter, played by Marion Cotillard.
Max (Brad Pitt) is a pilot with spy duties; he travels to Casablanca, Morocco, to do a mission, and is partnered with Marianne (Marion Cotillard), a French Resistance operative. The two fall in love and run away to England after their mission, but it seems like trouble only begins for them at that moment. Allied questions the strength of love, and whether it can outrank duty for people on intelligence missions. Similarly to Helen in Black Doves, Max can't let go of the person he loves, even if she might be allied with the enemy. To spies, affection is weakness, but everyone knows opening up to it is the bravest thing possible, spy or not.
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Allied
Release Date November 17, 2016
Runtime 124minutes
9 'The English Patient' (1996)
Directed by Anthony Minghella
Image via Miramax
The English Patient is set during WWII with some spy elements and covert identities, but it's not really centered around those things. It's more of a love story with spy stuff happening nearby, so more sentimental souls who enjoyed the loving aspects of Black Doves can indulge in some melodrama in The English Patient. Ralph Fiennes potrays Laszlo Amasy, a pilot who gets shot down and severely burned. While set up in the Sahara, a French nurse, Hana (Juliette Binoche), takes care of him, and Almasy begins to tell his life story to her and a Sikh Lieutenant, Kip (Naveen Andrews).
Michael Ondaatje wrote the book The English Patient with the Hungarian cartographer and aviator Laszlo Almasy as his main inspiration. Almasy was a fascinating personality, which the book and the movie did indeed try to show. By some accounts, Almasy was involved in German espionage missions, but in the movie, the focus lies more on the book's fictional romance with a British spy's wife, Katharine Cliffton (Kristin Scott-Thomas). Fiennes and Scott-Thomas have incredible chemistry, and director Anthony Minghella received praise for his directing. The movie was considered a masterpiece when it came out, and was generously awarded with numerous high accolades, including the Best Picture Oscar.
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At the close of World War II, a young nurse tends to a badly burned plane crash victim. His past is shown in flashbacks, revealing an involvement in a fateful love affair.
Release Date December 6, 1996
Director Anthony Minghella
Runtime 162 Minutes
8 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' (1996)
Directed by Renny Harlin
Image via New Line Cinema
The Long Kiss Goodnight blends dark humor, high-octane action, and quick-witted dialogue; it's the perfect post-Black Doves movie recipe. Geena Davis portrays Samantha, a teacher who lives with her daughter Caitlin and boyfriend Hal. Samantha was found eight years prior, washed up on the shore, with no memories of her old identity. She hires a private investigator, Mitch Hennessy (Samuel L. Jackson), to help her find out who she was before. Mitch finds several clues leading to her past, and the two follow them into a convoluted story about Samantha's real identity and everyone chasing after her.
Geena Davis charmingly carries The Long Kiss Goodnight. She's a great action star, but also beautiful and charming; her (non-romantic) chemistry with Samuel L. Jackson elevates the sometimes hollow plot, reminding viewers they're there for a good time. This movie is also fascinating because of the enthusiasm of everyone who participated in it. Geena Davis, Samuel L. Jackson, and director Renny Harlin all said that filming The Long Kiss Goodnight was their favorite time, with Jackson saying it's his favorite movie of his to watch, and Davis calling Samantha her favorite role. The movie was written by Shane Black, and is considered a Christmas movie, much like Die Hard.
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The Long Kiss Goodnight
Release Date October 11, 1996
Director Renny Harlin
Runtime 121 Minutes
7 'No Way Out' (1987)
Directed by Roger Donaldson
Love, lies, deceit, and spies all make up the plot of No Way Out starring Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman as a CIA operative and a politician in love with the same woman. Costner plays Tom Farrell, a CIA agent hired by the Secretary of Defense David Brice, played by Hackman, to be his eyes and ears in the agency. That same night, Farrell meets Susan Atwell, and the two begin a love affair; however, Atwell is also in a relationship with Brice. When she dies, Farrell begins a chase to find her killer and clear his name. No Way Out is an underrated spy flick which, despite sounding melodramatic, is full of incredible twists and thrilling moments.
Critics loved No Way Out and called it a defining moment of Kevin Costner's career. The romantic involvement of a spy is often accompanied by questions about his intentions; in No Way Out, audiences believe Farrell's intentions fully until the final moments of the movie. In a genuinely great final twist, this movie serves as more than just a study of crossing a line between the personal and professional; it also wonders whether a spy's work is ever really done, even if he falls in love.
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A young naval officer is assigned to investigate the murder of his lover's other paramour, only to discover that the case is a cover-up for a far-reaching political conspiracy. As he delves deeper, he finds himself framed for the murder and must unravel the plot while staying one step ahead of the law.
Release Date August 14, 1987
Director Roger Donaldson
Runtime 114 minutes
6 'True Lies' (1994)
Directed by James Cameron
Image via 20th Century Fox
True Lies is one of the favorite action comedies of the 1990s, and for all the right reasons - it has great action, some comedy, and a romance. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Harry Tasker, a secret agent of the US counterterrorism agency. His life is filled with adventure, but to his wife Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis) and daughter Dana (Eliza Dushku), he's just a salesman. Harry's exciting life gets turned upside-down when he begins to suspect Helen is cheating on him; he uses his agency's resources to find out whether that's true, leading himself and Helen into a dangerous predicament.
James Cameron wrote and directed True Lies based on the French action comedy La Totale! His idea was, of course, a little more grandiose and exciting, with elaborate stunts and action sequences that include Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his best roles. The blend of comedy and action is enough for people to get hooked on this feature, but the love story between Harry and Helen is the real driving point of the story. Reawakening the spark in a relationship can be difficult, but for these two, it takes a literal spy mission for them to never get bored again.
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True Lies
Secretly a spy but thought by his family to be a dull salesman, Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is tracking down nuclear missiles in the possession of Islamic jihadist Aziz (Art Malik). Harry's mission is complicated when he realizes his neglected wife, Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), is contemplating an affair with Simon (Bill Paxton), a used-car salesman who claims he's a spy. When Aziz kidnaps Harry and Helen, the secret agent must save the world and patch up his marriage at the same time.
Release Date July 15, 1994
Director James Cameron
Runtime 141 minutes
5 'The Nice Guys' (2016)
Directed by Shane Black
Image via Warner Bros.
One of the best neo-noir movies of the past 25 years, The Nice Guys is dark, hilarious, and brutal. It follows Russell Crowe as brutish enforcer Jackson Healy, and Ryan Gosling (in his best form) as private eye Holland March. March is hired by a woman to find her missing niece, and Healy is hired to drive March away, but their paths cross and the two join forces in the search for the missing girl. The movie is set in 1970s Los Angeles, and March and Healy encounter numerous important people that turn out to be involved in some shady business.
When a group of young people, including the missing girl, are preparing an investigative report that will uncover a massive cover-up involving the Justice Department, the two misfit detectives realize they're in the middle of something huge. Ryan Gosling dazzles as March, a private eye with seemingly two left feet. His luck seems to always run out, and he's injured for the most part of the movie. Though there are no spies or romances like in Black Doves, The Nice Guys has that seamless blend of dark comedy and thriller, including brilliant dialogue, great cinematography, and memorable performances.
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The Nice Guys
In 1970s Los Angeles, a mismatched pair of private eyes investigate a missing girl and the mysterious death of a porn star.
Release Date May 20, 2016
Director Shane Black
Runtime 116minutes
4 'Notorious' (1946)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Image via RKO Radio Pictures
Notorious is Alfred Hitchcock's classic tale spinning a web of espionage and love, with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman as the leads. This isn't just an important turning point in Hitchcock's career as a spy movie director; it's the movie that allows Ingrid Bergman to portray the femme fatale she was always meant to be. She plays Alicia, the daughter of a convicted German spy enlisted by American agent T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant) to infiltrate a Nazi organization. The two fall in love in the meantime, but as Devlin asks Alicia to seduce Alex Sebastian (Claude Raines), one of the organization members, he realizes that Sebastian has eyes for Alicia only, too.
The spy game between Sebastian and Devlin intensifies when their competition goes beyond loyalty to a certain party or country; they begin fighting for Alicia's affection with very opposing methods. And although they fall in love, their missions often become more important than her or her life. Notorious is a story of pride and love, the two things spies shouldn't technically show, but do very often - in movies, at least. Though love prevails in Notorious, in Sam and Helen's case in Black Doves, love is the motivation for many things. As a classic spy noir and romance movie, Notorious is one of Ingrid Bergman's best roles.
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Release Date August 15, 1946
Runtime 101 Minutes
3 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' (2011)
Directed by Tomas Alfredson
Image via StudioCanal
The essential British spy thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a must-see for any fan of the genre. It doesn't have too much action, but it's a convoluted story where no one can truly trust anyone, nor be relaxed at any moment. Gary Oldman leads a star-studded ensemble in this Tomas Alfredson flick adapted from John le Carré's novel of the same name. Oldman portrays George Smiley, a retired MI6 agent whose former boss, Control (John Hurt), suspected a Soviet mole in their ranks. Smiley is forced out of retirement sometime after Control's death because other agents presume his suspicions were correct.
There's no love or romance in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, but it's a brilliantly written and executed movie about MI6 spywork and all its intricacies. Unlike many other movies that make espionage look glamorous, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy makes it dirty, duplicitious and difficult - as it surely must be in real life. It also brilliantly evokes the Cold War-era atmosphere through great costumes, musical score, and cinematography, and shows Gary Oldman in one of his best leading roles.
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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Release Date September 16, 2011
Runtime 127 minutes
2 'Official Secrets' (2019)
Directed by Gavin Hood
Image Via IFC Films
Official Secrets may not be the best feature on the list, but Keira Knightley showed off her spy thriller acting chops in this movie before Black Doves. Her fans will gladly indulge in this exciting thriller based on real events. She portrays the real-life whistleblower Katharine Gun, an employee of the GCHQ whose main objective is to pass information to the government. Katharine Gun uncovered a joint American and British operation to spy on diplomats from several UN Security Council member countries; they wanted to use gathered information to blackmail them into supporting an upcoming suggestion to invade Iraq.
Katharine Gun bravely stepped out, facing the consequences of breaching several rules of conduct in her workplace. Beyond that, she was charged with breaking the Official Secrets Act, a law that protects state secrets. Keira Knightley took on the role of Gun, and carries the movie as the torn woman who wants justice for everyone involved. Joining her are Matt Smith, Matthew Goode, and Rhys Ifans, though Knightley's performance elevates the story the most.
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Release Date August 30, 2019
1 'Skyfall' (2012)
Directed by Sam Mendes
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing
Skyfall may not also be the best James Bond feature, but it's the best one in which Ben Whishaw plays Q. With so many roles in his interesting career, Whishaw may be the most recognizable to avid James Bond fans. In the five movies with Craig as Bond, Whishaw portrays Q in three. He appears in Skyfall as the youngest iteration of Q, the boss of the Secret Service's Q Branch, the research and development department that creates lethal and unassuming weapons for double-zero agents to use.
In Skyfall, his and Bond's first meeting takes place at the National Gallery in London, by M's (Judi Dench) orders. Having just established the Q branch, Bond is reluctant to trust that Q, so young-looking, can run any department for the Secret Service. Over time, Q proves to be one of the most valuable agents there, together with the branch itself. In Skyfall, they face off with a brutal enemy, Raoul Silva, who wishes to exact revenge on M. Whishaw's looks and brilliant performance shape Q into an even greater and more beloved character than he already was.
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James Bond's loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her. When MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
Release Date November 9, 2012
Runtime 2h 23m
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