Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “The Secret Agent” is a wonderful film that stretches the possibilities of cinema narrative and approaches to storytelling.
This is a love letter to cinema and, among my favorite kind of movie, you won’t get ahead of it or guess where it’s going, ever.
Set during the Brazilian military dictatorship that lasted from 1964-1985, we meet our protagonist, Armando (Wagner Moura) as he’s passes through town and makes a stop at a gas station where a corpse is visibly rotting nearby. The way the body is treated is both ghoulish (the owner of the station explains how it got there) and hilarious (a vehicle drives by with audible screams).
A tense encounter with officers who harass Armando only adds to the odd, exhilarating feel the movie provides; I couldn’t predict what was coming and just surrendered to Filho’s storytelling, with anything-goes touches (the appearance of a certain cat will become a talking point), vivid period details and a main character whom I was always rooting for.
The opening sets the tone – get comfortable and be ready for anything, as there’s always something unexpected ahead.
Some of this plays like a thriller. At other times, it’s a hangout movie, then it dips into surrealism. There’s a suspenseful chase sequence and a quiet but emotionally rich epilogue that provides perspective on the passage of time.
I suggest that audiences just go with it and embrace the surprises ahead.
Moura has one of those faces that can convey movie star confidence but also be vulnerable and open. Moura is excellent as Marcelo, who is revealed to be a widow, a former teacher and dissident. Moura plays the role in varying stages – we’re watching the making of a movie star, as well as an excellent showcase performance.
Considering the character’s trajectory and the surprising way that Moura contributes to the final portion, this is among the most vivid performances I’ve seen all year.
In “American Cinematographer” online, DP Evgenia Alexandrova told me about her subversive visual approach to the Brazilian thriller, “The Secret Agent,” using bright, saturated colors as a counterpoint to the dark slow burn.https://t.co/6Sbb5yaSlk
— Bill Desowitz (@BillDesowitz) December 23, 2025
My only complaint is that the story is complex and layered but purposely not told clearly. Only after seeing the film from start to finish and, perhaps, a second time, will everything click. The third act belatedly reveals how everything connects and allows every subplot and character to finally connect.
Although not a spy film in the traditional sense, the story is comparable to a John le Carre thriller, with emphasis on setting and character first; the specifics of the story and how it all connects arrive much later.
This is a wild period piece that captures Brazil of 1977 under dictatorship and flush with corrupt figures in power. However, describing it that way might bring to mind a dry historical reenactment or a more conventional political thriller, which this absolutely isn’t.
A tiger shark and a missing limb (as well as that corpse in the first scene) become major plot points that evolve in surprising and funny sequences. I won’t give it away, but the bit with the severed limb may wind up the sequence from “The Secret Agent” that everyone will be talking about.
Udo Kier has a memorable scene that is among his last performances. Tania Maria steals scenes as Marcelo’s family matriarch and Luciano Chirolli is vivid as a loathsome villain.
There’s a surprise of some kind in nearly every scene. “The Secret Agent” is like a sprawling mini-series that has been skillfully shortened down to two and a half hours. It goes by fast and overflows with scenes I can’t wait to revisit.
This is one of the best films of 2025.
Four Stars
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