Director
Lydia Dean Pilcher

Stars
Sarah Megan Thomas, Stana Katic, Radhika Apte and Linus Roache

In the beginning of WWII, a secret British spy agency is ordered to recruit and train women as spies. Believing that women will be more inconspicuous than men, their objective is to build resistance to Hitler’s Nazis who have occupied France. Vera Atkins (Stana Katic), who is in charge of selecting the agency’s spies, opts for two very unlikely candidates; American Virginia Hall (Sarah Megan Thomas), who has a wooden leg and Indian Muslim pacifist, Noor Inayat Khan (Radhika Apte). A Call to Spy is inspired by their true stories.

There’s no doubting the significance of this story and its timeliness of release in today’s cinema. It therefore comes as a quite a pity that A Call to Spy isn’t exactly memorable or recommendable.

A very well-researched script written by lead actress Sarah Megan Thomas and the earnest directing that exhibits the film’s good intentions rarely bring the words and actions of these brave and incredible women to life. Every facet of this production capable of deriving and enhancing an array of emotions that are certainly present in the story are disappointingly bland and barely fire. For instance, Vera has a secret of her own and several other supporting characters in the film also have question marks provoked pertaining to their ability to be trusted. Aside from any volume of tension that can be raised just being privy to this knowledge, the effort or ability to enforce it is lacklustre. The writing also lacks clarity at some important times.

Though A Call to Spy won’t tug a heart string or raise a goose bump, its sheer goodwill is never a secret and makes it impossible to disregard the film altogether.

3 stars

Viewer Discretion
M (Mature themes and violence)

Trailer
A Call To Spy

Moviedoc thanks Rialto Distribution, Ned & Co Marketing and Publicity and Annette Smith for providing the screener link to watch and review this film.

A Call To Spy is showing in cinemas across Australia from December 26.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc
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