Rent The Spy (2019)

Missed opportunity? - The Spy review by PD

This film tells the little-known but important tale of Norwegian-born Sonja Wigert. She established herself as one of Scandinavia’s most famous actresses, but her visible success during the Nazi occupation of her home country blighted the rest of her career, and it was only 25 years after her death in 1980 that the other side of her wartime life, working as an 'agent' for the Swedish intelligence service, was revealed. Much of the narrative revolves around her relationship with Terboven (Alexander Scheer), the most senior Nazi in occupied Norway, who she's been recruited to spy on and discover the true identity of Germany’s most important secret agent in Oslo. After starting an affair with the officer, she’s recruited by the Germans as well, agreeing to spy on their behalf so that they will release her elderly father from prison. What they don’t realise, of course, is that she’s a double agent.

Although the context of her story is unfamiliar, the actual narrative bears all the hallmarks of a conventional spy yarn, even if it is based on a true story. Jonsson adopts a suitably respectful tone but, ultimately, this doesn’t save the film from the feeling that we’ve been here before and the overall effect is of something rather conventional. All the elements are there for suspense, tension and heroism, but none of them are sufficiently developed, with a romantic sub-plot that feels like it’s been bolted on to pad things out. Jonsson tries to mix things up with the narrative, opening the film at what is essentially the mid-point, then filling in the back story and moving it forward to its conclusion, and this works up to a point, but you get the feeling that the director hasn't been nearly daring enough here, opting instead for a rather safe, tv-style which doesn't do the intriguing subject matter nearly enough justice.

Bolso Berdal makes a brave attempt to make her character one of flesh and blood, but she’s hampered by a rather weak script, plus the fact that Wigert was an actress makes us continually question the sincerity of the emotions on display. So what was clearly intended as a tribute to an unsung – and misjudged – war hero ends up being watchable enough but something of a missed opportunity, sadly.

The Perils of Being a Spy - The Spy review by CP Customer

Interesting film covering the war in Norway, and the situation of Sweden not being a combatant but with the secret services on both sides busy trying to use them.  Add to the mix the usage of a Norwegian Actress to cosy up  to one of the recognised monsters of the war to try and ascertain what he was planning for Norway and Sweden and their respective citizens.  Well told but but with so much to cover parts of the storyline were a little thin!

Interesting film about Norway under Nazi occupation and spies/double agents etc - The Spy review by PV

I know more about Norway and Sweden in the Second World War than most but have never heard of this woman and other others spies for the allies in occupied Norway in WWII, and other spies for the Germans in neutral Sweden.

Sweden is always a sore point - neutral i two world wars in the 20th C as it made a fortune supplying Germans with iron ore. Someone tell Greta....

The Battle of Norway April 1940 was the first engagement of the Second World War, when Germany invaded BUT the allies took back Narvik for a short time, the first defeat of Nazi Germany in the war. Norway was important as a base for planes with which Germany bombed Britain and also to transport iron ore to Germany esp in winter when the land route over Sweden was impassable.

This was interesting but complex, so keep your wits about you!

4 stars