‘The Secret Agent’ is a Slow Burn

Wagner Moura in The Secret Agent | Credit: Neon

Marcelo (Wagner Moura) is trying to start a new life, but encounters roadblocks along the way. As the film goes on, we learn about his history that he’s trying to leave behind and the people who won’t let him move on.

The Secret Agent is a slow burn. You don’t learn what’s going on in this film for quite some time. For the first part of the film, we’re just following Marcelo as he encounters these different situations, some of them mundane, others incredibly tense. If you’re willing to just go along for the ride, this is a really fascinating and engaging film. But you have to let the story develop at its deliberately slow pace.

I appreciate films like this that require patience from the viewer. I was interested enough in who this character was that I was willing to go along with it. Wagner Moura gives a fantastic performance, leaning into the humanity of this character, while also maintaining an air of mystery. There’s something likable about him, but you also see his caution and hesitancy in each encounter. You want to know more about who this man is and why he’s ended up in this situation.

The Secret Agent effectively uses this one character to shed a light on what’s going on in the society as a whole. The film opens by telling us that in Brazil in 1977, it was a “period of great mischief,” and then it takes us into some glimpses of that “mischief.”

Along with Marcelo, we also meet some police officers who are not on the up and up. These are some shady cops who operate outside of the law and seek to enrich themselves along the way. In the first few minutes of the film, Marcelo encounters some patrol officers who inspect his car, find nothing untoward, and then ask for a bribe. This type of behavior is routine, and seeing that scene so early in the film helps us understand the seriousness of the “mischief” the film is seeking to explore.

Wagner Moura, Fafá Dantas, Suzy Lopes, and Geane Albuquerque in The Secret Agent | Credit: Neon

Amidst the corruption and danger and people seeking to enrich themselves, there’s also beauty and moments of true community. Marcelo seeks refuge with Dona Sebastiana (Tânia Maria), an older woman who owns a building where others on the run can find shelter and safety. We don’t learn much about these other characters who become Marcelo’s neighbors, but we do spend time with them as they go about their days. We see how they care for each other and have become an unorthodox community.

Dona Sebastiana isn’t the only one who is caring for people in need, but is part of a larger structure of people who are willing to help. There’s even fresh produce delivered once a week to these people for whom it is unsafe to leave.

It’s beautiful to think about the ways in which we come together to support one another, especially in the toughest times. Honestly, I just wanted to keep spending time with this group of people. The film uses these scenes strategically to provide a contrast to the corruption, but not so much that we become complacent in these moments. When we return to Marcelo’s building, it often feels like a sigh of relief, a place of respite for this man who has been the victim of the “mischief” of powerful people.

The more you learn about the world in which these people are living, the more you want them to be able to not just survive, but thrive. We see how difficult that will be, but we can’t help but root for this group of people who have been displaced from their lives for one reason or another.

Wagner Moura in The Secret Agent | Credit: Neon

The Secret Agent is a slow burn that will keep you guessing if you’re willing to allow the film to take you where it wants to go. The structure is a bit unusual, slowly leaking out pieces of information throughout the film, until you’re finally able to see the full picture. It also employs flashbacks in an interesting way that some might find a little off-putting.

The film ends in a way that subverts your expectations and, in some ways, felt like a letdown to me while watching. However, the more that I’ve been able to sit with and really consider this film, the more the ending has grown on me. There are some interesting themes that are able to be explored through the ending that might not be as prominent if the film had ended in a more traditional manner.

The Secret Agent is listed as a mystery and thriller on IMDb, and while the film is mysterious and thrilling, I think those labels give some incorrect expectations for what this film is and what it’s trying to do. The story is a slow burn that will leave you with a lot to think about. And it’s a film that you might need to let grow on you a bit.

This film is not for everyone, but if you’re willing to go along for the ride, it’s a great time.