Red Sparrow

Director Francis Lawrence’s Red Sparrow is a tough, often harrowing, espionage thriller.

Jennifer Lawrence plays Dominika Egorova, a noted Russianballet dancer, who is purposely injured by a fellow dancer.  Her career at an end and needing to keep her home and funding for her ill mother (Joely Richardson), Dominika comes under the thumb of her uncle Vanya (Matthias Schoenaerts), a higher up in the Russian spy network, and is eventually sent to a secret school for training in seduction and killing.

The script by Writer Justin Haythe has some brilliant twists and turns as Dominika tries to maintain some sense of self and survive a life she does not want.

Lawrence is backed up by a fabulous team of actors, including Jeremy Irons, Joel Egerton, Charlotte Rampling, Mary-Louise Parker and Clarán Hinds.

An acting teacher I know claims that an actor is not truly an actor until he/she performs in the nude because one has to learn it’s not about them, but the part they are playing.  In Red Sparrow Jennifer Lawrence becomes a true actor.  Enough said.

Note that this film is not for the squeamish as there are no holds barred in some vivid scenes of violence.  However, if you are of sterner stuff, it’s well worth the view.

I give Red Sparrow a 4.2 out of 5.