Every once in a while Netflix surprises you with a really good out of left-field spy movie. Jack Strong fits that bill. Based on the Book A Secret Life: A Polish Colonel, His Covert Mission and The Price he Paid to Save His Country the movie tells the tale of Polish Army Officer Ryszard Kuklinski and the steps he took to save his country from nuclear annihilation by the Soviets in the 1970’s and 80’s.
What makes this movie really good (besides being a True Story) is that majority of it is in Polish with English subtitles. You take that combined with added realism of the the cold war era locations (1970’s and 80’s Poland) and you really FEEL like you are there, behind the Iron Curtain at the apex of the Cold War. Since the movie was made in Poland, it’s stars are all primarily from Poland, but that does not detract from the quality one bit. All of the acting, including that from American actor Patrick Wilson (of Fargo) who plays Kuklinski’s CIA handler, is top-notch.
If you are like me and are both an Intelligence and Cold War buff, you definitely need to check this one out.
Stay Dangerous!