Best movie of this year hands down!

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Elderly, womanizer British gentleman, somehow involved with spying, attracts young, beautiful woman who needs his help (The Russia House). Despite the huge age gap, she finds him attractive (The Russia House). He is unsure if he can trust her, because spying is a risky business, but she is a hot piece of a**, therefore worth the risk (The Russia House).In a top secret document, the gentleman discovers dirty business involving British Prime Minister and USA allied (The Ghost Writer). The document contains information about alleged torture of war prisoners. Unmasking the dirt may cause the gentleman serious problems, but he goes ahead (The Ghost Writer). He chooses the woman over his country, moves abroad and lives happily hereafter (The Russia House).To drag along the story a bit longer, a totally irrelevant sub-plot is added. The gentleman has a snobbish, single daughter, who got pregnant after one-week liaison with a "conceptual artist" (very important point, the "conceptual artist"... of course, such a spirited, upper class girl could not possibly get impregnated by a waiter). Since this is a liberal, "gauche-caviar" tale, more dirt is thrown to the direction of Israel, thanks to the Syrian, dove-eyed, beautiful, but emotionally damaged female lead. It must be made crystal clear that the "baddies" are the demoniac triad of USA-British Prime Minister-Israel and the "goodies" are everybody else, inclusive of the Muslim, scarf-wearing secretary.1 point is compulsory, 1 point to the atmospheric photography

Top notch BBC production from playwright David Hare, who writes and directs this cerebral spy thriller. It features an amazing cast led by Bill Nighy in top form. supported by two genuine movie stars, Rachel Weisz and Ralph Fiennes, as well as a collection of superb supporting British acting talent. There's not a lot of action; this is the thinking wo/man's spy film, with much character development of people who think and analyze for a living. But Hare's gift for dialog makes for a smart and sly script, and Nighy has a field day with his weathered, cynical, intelligent intelligence man. The suspense comes from an ongoing and escalating battle of the wits, not gunplay or fight scenes, so if you want James Bond with explosions and girls in bikinis, you'll be let down. But if you like thoughtful wannabe John LeCarre-ish stuff, you'll probably enjoy this a lot.

Yeah, OK I agree with what they all say about the genre, etc etc ... atmosphere, etc ... It is a good story and well-toldI always love watching Bill Nighy (does he play himself or is he just brilliant at that laconic type of character ...?) BUT REALLY must we always have the fresh young girl swooning for the fella old enough to be her GRAND-DAD? Really .. it makes me laugh and sob in equal measure .... the weak link in an otherwise agreeable drama for me .... I don't really have ten lines more to say, as everything else has been said, but if we want a mini-essay on the tragedy of old-men's pathetic fantasy lives I guess I can run to one. Why would that lovely young woman fall for Nighy? Even though I open my review saying he is very watchable, and entertaining I doubt there are many women who would really fall for this character in this context. And we NEVER EVER see a tight-bodied hunk fall for the Judy Dench element, do we, though she is every bit as gorgeous as Bill!

When I see Bill Nighy, Rachel Weisz, and Ralph Fiennes in a cast, I know I have to check it out. I was not sorry I did. The three were together in at least one other great film - The Constant Gardener. Individually, there is seldom a really good film that doesn't have one of the three.Of course the Golden Globes and BAFTA agree with me as they both gave the film a nomination.The Prime Minster (Fiennes) seems to be up to his neck in deception. The meeting between Nighy and he was fascinating. Page Eight was a positive surprise with good dialogue and an engaging story.