All the Old Knives
All the Old Knives

All the Old Knives

2022Movie101 minEnglish

When the CIA discovers one of its agents leaked information that cost more than 100 people their lives, veteran operative Henry Pelham is assigned to root out the mole with his former lover and colleague Celia Harrison.

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Insights

IMDb5.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes44%
Metacritic53/100
Google Users58%
Director: Janus MetzGenres: Thriller, Mystery, Drama, Romance

Plot Summary

When the CIA plots to have a mole in their Vienna office eliminated, veteran agent Henry Pelham is tasked with finding out which of his former colleagues betrayed them. His investigation leads him back to his former lover and colleague, Celia Harrison, who is now living a quiet life in California. As they revisit their past and the dangerous events in Vienna, the truth about the betrayal and their own complicated relationship begins to unravel.

Critical Reception

All the Old Knives received a mixed to negative reception from critics. While some praised the performances of Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton, and the film's atmosphere, many found the plot to be predictable, overly convoluted, and lacking in genuine suspense. Audience reception was similarly lukewarm, with many finding the thriller elements underdeveloped.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for the chemistry between its leads, Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton.
  • Criticized for a predictable plot and a lack of engaging spy thriller elements.
  • The film is often described as a slow-burn romance with a weak thriller subplot.

Google audience: Audience reviews highlight the strong performances from the lead actors, particularly Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton, and their chemistry. However, many viewers found the plot to be anticlimactic and not living up to the thriller genre's expectations.

Fun Fact

The film is based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Olen Steinhauer, who also penned the screenplay.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

The scene is set in a fine restaurant where "Pelham" (Chris Pine) and ex-girlfriend "Celia" (Thandiwe Newton) and sharing some wine and considering who betrayed them many years earlier when their CIA operation around the hijacking of an air...
Manuel São Bento

Manuel São Bento

MORE REVIEWS @ https://www.msbreviews.com/ "All the Old Knives holds an extraordinary cast and an interesting premise, but Janus Metz's uninspired execution turns a movie with immense potential into yet another generic work with little r...