Shadow Dancer

R

Released May 31, 2013

1 hr. 42 min.

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

List

85%

89 Reviews

Tomatometer

52%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Arrested after a failed bombing attempt, a single mother and IRA member (Andrea Riseborough) falls into the hands of a British agent (Clive Owen) who offers her a choice: Spy on her IRA comrades, or spend a long prison term away from her young son.

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Critics Consensus

A tense, thought-provoking thriller, Shadow Dancer is bolstered by sensitive direction from James Marsh and a terrific performance from Andrea Riseborough.

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Jelisije J

A very engaging story of a women becoming a snitch for the British government to sell out her IRA brethren.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

KARL O

One of the better movies dealing with the Northern Ireland situation. It deals with a stage not typically touched on - the early nineties. Complex plotting, fabulous performances and a slow burn. The grim subject matter is matched by a grim palette. Likely too pensive and slow for most.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/04/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Spoilers: Factions within the government spies and factions in the IRA, and everyone armed and looking for betrayers. And everyone wanting to turn some, get them to change sides even if for self-interest, to stay out of the clink. Andrea plays this so economically, few words, soft voice, but like her brothers Domhnall Gleeson and Aiden Gillen, Catholics in Belfast, their dedication to block the Brits and Belfast Orange from killing Catholics, shortchanging them on jobs, housing, etc., was complete, after their own brother was shot dead in the street at about age 5. Though the rub was that she could have blown up a train or train station with a bomb in her bag, but felt the opposite pull of why kill off everyday commuters so didn't set the timer. So Clive, the MI5, domestic spy operative, who is always good, squeezed Andrea after she was arrested, saying she is going in the clink and will lose her son unless she spies on her hard-core, violent brothers and their violent agendas and reports back. The interesting thing is that something leaks and gets a provo gunman killed, and so the IRA leadership is waterboarding its own to find the rat. Of course, both sides know a price has to be paid for the dead gunman to avoid worse violence. And Clive, it turns out, falls for Andrea, and works a deal that she doesn't know about that her mom is the family member who gets offed to calm the waters. Andrea fakes him into thinking they are running away together with her little son. Next thing we know, after Clive has fallen out with boss Gillian Anderson and his own spy structure for wanting to protect his snitch Andrea, he answers the ringing phone in his car and the car explodes. In the end, Andrea and brother Domhnall and her son are in a moving car on the way out of the whole mess in order to survive. Her message: As if I would fall for a Brit spy man squeezing me. It shows that all sides are ruthless enough to keep exacerbating the problems of oppression, inequality, injustice, violence and abusiveness, and that sometimes it is against their own.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I thought this movie was outstanding, and was surprised that the audience score on RT was a paltry 52%, while the critics' score was in the mid 80's. I was also surprised that this movie was released in 2012, the cinematography was grainy enough to match the 1993 setting. I thought the casting was outstanding, and the performances top notch as well, particularly Andrea Riseborough as Colette. For those not at all interested, and even put off, by the Marvel universe, this was a gem.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

There is an authenticity to it all, kind of slice o' life..if it's the life of the regular citizens who fought as IRA soldiers against British authorities and Irish men and women not loyal to the cause. Virtually all film scripts are formulaic. The good ones don't feel like they are, and this taut and layered drama indeed feels fresh.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Interesting, but dated. Very good acting, but not memorable.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

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James Marsh

Director

Andrea Riseborough

Colette McVeigh

Clive Owen

Mac

Gillian Anderson

Kate Fletcher

Aidan Gillen

Gerry

Domhnall Gleeson

Connor

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Jared Eisenstat

Film Comment Magazine

By the end, the film shows not only the power of this influence but also its terrible price in an often merciless conflict.

Nov 4, 2013

Full Review

Walter V. Addiego

San Francisco Chronicle

The film relies on terse dialogue and boggy colors to create an atmosphere dense with anxiety -- all well handled by director James March.

Jul 22, 2013

Full Review

Ty Burr

Boston Globe

A tautly minimalist, occasionally generic study of betrayal and family ties.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jun 14, 2013

Full Review

Vladan Petkovic

Cineuropa

The director gives the film a strong personal touch that makes all the difference.

Aug 14, 2020

Full Review

PJ Nabarro

Patrick Nabarro

The story itself seems to seep out of its own dank air of repression, and the claustrophobic atmosphere makes tangible how dangerous the lives are for all the participants.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 13, 2019

Full Review

C.J. Prince

Way Too Indie

It's a well-crafted thriller, and Marsh does an effective job showing how, on both sides of the law, trust is the hardest thing to find.

Jun 22, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

Arrested after a failed bombing attempt, a single mother and IRA member (Andrea Riseborough) falls into the hands of a British agent (Clive Owen) who offers her a choice: Spy on her IRA comrades, or spend a long prison term away from her young son.

Director: James Marsh
Executive Producer: Joe Oppenheimer, Brahim Chioua, Norman Merry, Vincent Maraval, Rita Dagher, Tom Bradby
Screenwriter: Tom Bradby
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: BBC Films
Rating: R (Some Violent Content|Language)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 31, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 31, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $99.1K

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