Wife of a Spy

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Wife of a Spy

2021

1h 55m

Mystery & Thriller

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

56 Reviews

60%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

The year is 1940 in Kobe, on the eve of the outbreak of World War II. Local merchant and amateur filmmaker Yusaku (Issey Takahashi, Kill Bill) senses that things are headed in an unsettling direction. Following a trip to Manchuria, he becomes determined to bring to light the things he witnessed there, and secretly filmed. Meanwhile, his wife Satoko (Japan Society's 2021 Honoree Yû Aoi) receives a visit from her childhood friend, now a military policeman. He warns her about Yusaku's seditious ways and reveals that a woman her husband brought back from his trip has died. Satoko confronts Yusaku, but when she discovers his true intentions, she is torn between loyalty to her husband, the life they have built, and the country they call home.

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Critics Consensus

A finely calibrated WWII-era thriller, Wife of a Spy delicately balances the weight of national loyalty against our moral obligations to our fellow human beings.

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Adam Nayman

The Ringer

Dec 21, 2021

The devastating revelation of what Yusaku is really keeping hidden-or, perhaps, trying to expose-puts a political frame around the action while calling back to the apocalyptic horrors of Kurosawa's previous genre masterpieces.

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Tom Long

Detroit News

Nov 11, 2021

B

The smooth Yusaku drives the action, but the film's soul is Satoko, a woman in love who just wants to do the right thing.

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Barry Hertz

Globe and Mail

Oct 20, 2021

Kurosawa hits high marks by staring a story straight in the eyes, and finessing every narrative bump to deliver the smoothest, most satisfying historical drama you're likely to see this fall.

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Julian Singleton

Cinapse

Jul 12, 2025

Like Cure, Tokyo Sonata, and other films considered Kurosawa’s best, the controversial final moments of Wife of a Spy call into question how our better natures may conflict with the morals of the people we care about most.

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Alessandra Rangel

InSession Film

Mar 8, 2023

B

Wife of a Spy is a layered and subtle drama that carries more significance than what is initially seen.

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Mark R. Leeper

Mark Leeper's Reviews

Sep 18, 2022

7/10

We have seen a lot of spy thrillers set in Europe, usually with American or British spies, but WIFE OF A SPY is a bit different. This, the latest film from Kiyoshi Kurosawa, is set in 1940 in Japan, and has as its spy a Japanese businessman.

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Aluna U

@RT14704568 Sep 24, 2025

Set during World War II, this film delivers a compelling character-driven drama rather than a typical spy thriller, focusing on emotional conflict and moral dilemmas. With authentic period details and stellar performances—especially from Yu Aoi, whose nuanced portrayal earned her critical acclaim—the film immerses viewers in its tense historical setting. Despite a slow start and limited backstory for some characters, the story unfolds into a gripping and unpredictable finale worth the wait. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com)

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jun 2, 2025

Success in 1 hour and 55 minutes. In Japanese and English versions with English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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steve c

@RT19610513 Nov 1, 2022

Like the wife said: お見事です。日本負けだ。 This movie wins.

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dave d

@RT34924333 Dec 17, 2021

It's never boring, but after nearly two hours what did we really take away from Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 'Wife of a Spy'. While gorgeous, I was let down by a tonal change in the 3rd act. The adjustment leads to a series of choices that didn't work for me. It's not a love story nor a particularly good spy drama so it's just a middle of the road time waster that you won't remember in a few days. It's way more complex and layered than it needs to be and with subtitles that can be a bit daunting. Totally missable unless you're a Kurosawa completist. Final Score: 5/10

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william d

@acsdoug Jun 22, 2021

What a depressing and ultimately unsatisfying ending to an average thriller.

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Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Director

Yû Aoi

Satoko Fukuhara

Issey Takahashi

Yusaku Fukuhara

Masahiro Higashide

Taiji Tsumori

Ryota Bando

Fumio Takeshita

Yuri Tsunematsu

Komako

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Synopsis

The year is 1940 in Kobe, on the eve of the outbreak of World War II. Local merchant and amateur filmmaker Yusaku (Issey Takahashi, Kill Bill) senses that things are headed in an unsettling direction. Following a trip to Manchuria, he becomes determined to bring to light the things he witnessed there, and secretly filmed. Meanwhile, his wife Satoko (Japan Society's 2021 Honoree Yû Aoi) receives a visit from her childhood friend, now a military policeman. He warns her about Yusaku's seditious ways and reveals that a woman her husband brought back from his trip has died. Satoko confronts Yusaku, but when she discovers his true intentions, she is torn between loyalty to her husband, the life they have built, and the country they call home.

Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Producer: Teruhisa Yamamoto
Screenwriter: Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Tadashi Nohara
Distributor: Kino Lorber
Production Co: Kirinzi, NHK Enterprises, Inc., NHK, Enbu Seminar, Weroll, C&I Entertainment, Incline
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, History, Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 17, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 16, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $68.8K
Runtime: 1h 55m

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