Argylle
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
- action
- adventure
- comedy
The story
When the plots of reclusive author Elly Conway's fictional espionage novels begin to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, quiet evenings at home become a thing of the past. Accompanied by her cat Alfie and Aidan, a cat-allergic spy, Elly races across the world to stay one step ahead of the killers as the line between Conway's fictional world and her real one begins to blur.
What it’s like
Bright, glossy digital photography with saturated colour and a polished, rom-com sheen: sunlit European streets, sleek hotel suites, a Greek island glowing white and blue, and snowy Colorado mountains, all lit like a stylish magazine spread. Camera moves are kinetic and playful, with fast cuts, split-screen tricks and frequent flips between Elly's imagined spy scenes and the real chases they resemble, so the image keeps changing shape. The score is brassy and jaunty, pushing pop-spy energy over any real suspense. The vibe is breezy, self-aware and cheerfully overstuffed, the kind of watch that suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a long-haul flight or a noisy group movie night. Pacing is brisk and rarely still, and the emotional arc follows a reclusive writer learning to trust herself and a reluctant spy learning to trust her. Violence is frequent and cartoonishly stylised, with lots of fights and gunfire but little blood and no real menace, though there is some mild innuendo and bad language. It is for viewers who want a playful, twisty caper with a dog-and-pet-friendly warmth and no real dread.
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