Review of Red Sparrow (2018) by Jack H — 10 Apr 2018

I liked this movie a lot, but it helps if you've read the book that this movie is based on before seeing it. Parts of the movie were a little confusing to me, even though I'd already read the book. But I love the story, and I think Jennifer Lawrence did a great job. She continues to amaze me. Her face somehow seems to change to fit whatever role she's playing, and she did it again in this movie. I also thought her Russian accent was well done. "Red Sparrow" is actually a trilogy, and I'm about half way through the third book. I want to see movies made from books two and three.

I saw a panel discussion on YouTube with a woman who was retired from the CIA, and she said Red Sparrow was the best book she's ever read about the world of Intelligence, and she also liked the movie. That's what made me want to read the books and see the movie. (Of course the fact that I have a huge crush on Jennifer Lawrence also played a role.) Others on the panel included a New York Times reporter who had spent time reporting from Russia, the director of the movie, and Jennifer Lawrence. If you like movies about spies, Intelligence work, and conflict with Russia, this movie is well worth seeing. Oh, and they found an actor who looks a lot like Vladimer Putin to play a bigwig in Russian Intelligence. Putin actually appears in the books pretty prominently.