Company Business

Ex-CIA agent Boyd uses his skills to make a living in the private sector: he is an industrial spy in the cosmetics industry. A late-night call summons him back to the front lines of the Cold War, back to Berlin. In the former divided city, he is to exchange Pjotr Grushenko, the KGB mole in Washington, and two million dollars—money from the Medellin cartel—for a US agent. The operation goes awry from the start, and Pjotr and Boyd flee to Paris, pursued by the CIA and KGB, who are working together harmoniously. After both agencies are outsmarted, Pjotr obtains a ticket to freedom through a piece of information that is also meant to ensure Boyd's survival.

This excellently cast political thriller hails from the good old days when the enemy images of the Cold War were still vivid. Director Nicholas Meyer sends a fantastic trio, consisting of Gene Hackman, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Kurtwood Smith, into a story from yesterday's intelligence world. It is a rather elaborate thriller, filmed on original locations, that captivates with action, drama, and a touch of irony.