The Secret Agent

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1:44

The Secret Agent

R

In Theaters Nov 26

2h 38m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

History

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

62 Reviews

Popcornmeter

0 Verified Ratings

Brazil, 1977. Marcelo, a technology expert in his early 40s, is on the run. Hoping to reunite with his son, he travels to Recife during Carnival but soon realizes that the city is not the safe haven he was expecting. Winner of Best Director and Best Actor in Cannes.

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In Theaters Nov 26

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Critics Consensus

A thematically rich and visually arresting political thriller, The Secret Agent blends grindhouse stylization with biting social commentary to weave a vividly dangerous yet darkly human tale.

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Kleber Mendonça Filho

Director

Wagner Moura

Marcelo Alves

Udo Kier

Hans

Gabriel Leone

Bobbi

Maria Fernanda Cândido

Elza

Hermila Guedes

Claudia

Soham Gadre

Chicago Reader

Filho crafts his central characters as fully fleshed out people, keeping their humanity grounded in their friendships, relationships, and fantasies in close quarters.

Oct 16, 2025

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Kyle Smith

Wall Street Journal

The 1970s production design is a wonder in itself.

Oct 16, 2025

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Dwight Brown

DwightBrownInk.com

An epic that starts with a very expressive scene. A masterpiece.

Rated: 4/4

Oct 13, 2025

Full Review

Ross Bonaime

Collider

The Secret Agent is a remarkable work from Mendonça Filho; a beautifully composed film that features some of the best directing, editing, and writing of the year, as well as an enthralling performance by Moura that deserves its accolades.

Rated: 8/10

Oct 19, 2025

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Christopher Llewellyn Reed

Hammer to Nail

Moura and the supporting ensemble give it their all, and the result impresses more than it doesn’t. What is left when only memory, if even that, remains, the movie asks. This is a vital question. Ambitious cinema need not be perfect to be worth watching.

Oct 17, 2025

Full Review

Helen Hawkins

The Arts Desk

This is an often engrossing, atmospheric film, its bright sunniness adding to its intensity, though its storytelling is sometimes elliptical, as if sections have been cut.

Oct 15, 2025

Full Review

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Synopsis

Brazil, 1977. Marcelo, a technology expert in his early 40s, is on the run. Hoping to reunite with his son, he travels to Recife during Carnival but soon realizes that the city is not the safe haven he was expecting. Winner of Best Director and Best Actor in Cannes.

Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Producer: Emilie Lesclaux, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Wagner Moura, Brent Travers
Screenwriter: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Distributor: NEON
Production Co: CinemaScópio Produções, Arte France Cinema, Black Rabbit Media, MK2 Films, Vitrine Filmes
Rating: R (Strong Bloody Violence|Language|Some Full Nudity|Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller, History
Original Language: Brazilian Portuguese
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 26, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 2h 38m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Digital 2.39:1