ROGUE AGENT

UK, 2022, 115 minutes, Colour.

James Norton, Gemma Arteton, Marisa Abela, Shazad Latif, Rob Malone, Freya Mavor, Julian Barrett,

Directed by Adam Patterson, Declan Lawn.

The title is misleading – expectations of espionage action! But, any spy story is full of misdirection.

And, we learn the misdirection almost immediately, being introduced to Robert Manson, a.k.a. Robert Freegard, a genial bartender on the lookout for recruits for MI5, the 1980s apprehensions about IRA bombings, and he finds three pleasant young potential recruits, very earnest and wanting to fulfil any test that Robert asks of them. Then, suddenly he has to whisk them away to safety, threats on their lives, threats to their families.

And then we are in the 1990s, London, a luxury car dealer, and there is Robert as one of the key salesman. Still undercover? To a selected few, he reveals that he is – and is still in touch with one of those young recruits from the past, Sophie, she working in the field and supplying information for him. But, that’s about as far as espionage action goes, especially in terms of action sequences.

Rather, the plot veers into something of a love story. And the object of Robert’s love and devotion is Alex Archer, Gemma Arteton, a very successful corporate lawyer who walks past the dealership each morning, attracting Robert’s attention, then his approaching her after she finishes a celebration, not steady on her feet, and she fobs him off. The next morning she goes to apologise.

James Norton plays Robert (and we can remember him being charming as the clergyman in the Grantchester series, and his terminally ill father looking for a family for his son in Nowhere Special). He reconciles with Alex, plans and dinner the next evening, stands her up, she very angry, he with the excuse that his father had to be taken to hospital. Charm, outings, meals, his cooking, a relationship.

Rogue agent? As the plot develops, Alex does have Robert’s background investigated and he turns up with nothing in his file, something of a ghost. Robert has an explanation, an alternate name and another life. Alex is rather unwilling to get further information about Robert, especially as it throws his charm and his reputation into question.

The audience has probably recognised long since that this is all a facade, that he is charmingly seductive in choosing and developing relationships. And, it emerges, that there is money involved.

This is an interesting drama, looking at Robert and his surface charm, sociopathic under the surface, exploitative, repeating the same patterns.

Of course, we become more intrigued discovering more about his past and exploitation, his continuing the seductions, how he will be exposed, the role of the police, then personnel from the American Embassy, and Alex’s role.

This is based on a true story, Robert sent to trial, imprisoned, freed in 2009 – and the subject of Netflix documentary series, The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman.

1. The title, posing as a security agent, his financial goals, exploiting victims?
2. The British setting, the 1980s and 90s, towns, pubs, homes? London, car sales, luxury? Business offices? Flats and homes? The countryside? Police precincts? Atmosphere? The musical score?
3. James Norton as Robert fear guard? Charm, covering malice, sociopathic, no empathy despite his performances being convincing? The nature of this kind of sociopath, continuing to repeat the pattern, the dangers, the risks, the enjoyment, profiteering, exploitation of women?
4. The first situation, the voice-over and the commentary about Robert’s methods? Alice’s perspective? The bar, not drinking, looking out for potential recruits, gathering the three, indoctrinating them, IRA fears and bombs, setting up the situation, getting them to gather information, their personalities, susceptible, Ian, may, and, especially, Sophie? Hesitant, forced by Robert? Whisking them suddenly away? Controlling them, telling them they were testing for employment? Ian getting out, returning to the farm? The discovery of Mae with the two children and Robert’s spasmodic visits? The plight of Sophie, gathering information at the hotel, his bringing her food, abandoned, hungry, his promising she had a position, getting her to wait, the phone? The issue of money, Sophie getting money from her parents?
5. The transition, Robert selling luxury cars, smooth manner? Seeing Alice, her walking past, Alice and her top job, investigations, her skills as a lawyer? The celebration, her drinking, encountering Robert, her being rude to him? Passing again, her going in to apologise? His deprecation, exercising his charm? The stamd-up, her being upset, the story about his father in hospital, the gift of the tiger picture?
6. The development between Robert and Alice, all the skills of seduction, her being wary, but her succumbing? The conversations, the outings, the tower with the continuous music, the meals, his not drinking, his home, the sexual relationship? The drive in the country, letting her drive? Speed and exhilaration? The happy relationship?
7. Alice and the former policeman, her investigating Robert, his being a ghost? Her dilemmas, to reveal this or not? Confronting Robert, his various names, her being satisfied, the continuation of the relationship?
8. The friend, the police file, the story of Robert and the girl in the past, his saying she was alcoholic, her disappearance, the disappearance of the money? Robert and his reassurances?
9. The intercutting of the scenes with Sophie, his callous treatment of Sophie, the jobs, the tests, her being hungry, the sexual encounter and her passivity, his abandoning her on the road with promise that she would be called to be recruited?
10. Alice, work, distracted, not doing her job, the suggestion she take time off?
11. Robert, the suggestion about starting a company, leasing luxury cars? Robert and Sophie, the new document and Sophie’s photo?, taking her to the bank, withdrawing Alice’s savings? Her reaction? Anger?
12. Her decision to unmask him, yet her promise of loving him?
13. Going to the police, not being listened to, her using her legal skills? Tracking down Ian and getting his story? Tracking down Mae and discovering her with the children? The notebook with the numbers?
14. The police, the intervention of the American Embassy, testing the numbers, finally Sophie answering, their going to rescue her, her bewilderment? The authorities letting Alice do the questioning, her gentle manner, the maps, the phones and their locations, the particular area, Sophie blindfolded, her hearing memory? Driving, eventually finding the house?
15. Robert, his protestation to Alice on the phone, yet the encounter with Jenny, American background, exercising the same charm, her succumbing, psychologist, her financial situation and the loan, Robert persuading her to ask her parents the money? The resistance? Jenny and the antidepressants, Robert burning them, persuading her to be healthy, her collapse, in the bath, the phone call from the parents, sending the money?
16. Jenny in the bath, Robert going to the car to get further medication, the encounter with Alice, trying to persuade her about his devotion? The arrest?
17. The court case, Alice giving witness, Sophie and the others and parents present? His sentences?
18. In jail, the rumour about his being undercover and security, the guard and his sympathy and help? Robert looking smug?
19. Alice, the new job, leasing luxury cars? With Sophie? Going to the tower, the music? The final information that Robert was freed in 2009 – and continuing his life and crime?