RED SPARROW | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"RED SPARROW"
(2018) (Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton) (R)

QUICK TAKE:: Dramatic Thriller: With her ballerina days unexpectedly over, a young woman becomes a covert spy for the Russian government and infiltrates the life of a CIA agent in hopes of uncovering the identity of a high-ranking Russian mole.

PLOT:

Dominika Egorova (JENNIFER LAWRENCE) is the star ballerina of the Bolshoi ballet, but when her dance partner lands on her leg, her career abruptly ends. Her uncle, Vanya Egorov (MATTHIAS SCHOENAERTS), deputy director of Russia's secret spy agency, SVR, informs her that the incident was no accident. And after seeing the aftermath of her violent retribution toward her former partner and rival, he believes she's the right fit to become part of the spy organization. With him saying he won't be able to ensure payments to take care of her mother and their housing, Dominika has no choice but to accept his offer.

She ends up at a special "sparrow" spy school where Matron (CHARLOTTE RAMPLING) teaches her and other recruits to lose all inhibitions and use both mental and sexual manipulation as a means to their spy ends. In Dominika's case, that's to infiltrate the life of CIA agent Nate Nash (JOEL EDGERTON) who fled Russia after protecting the identity of a high-ranking Russian mole from being revealed, something that isn't sitting well with Vanya's superiors, including Korchnoi (JEREMY IRONS) and Zakharov (CIARAN HINDS).

Nash is now operating in Budapest under the watchful eye of Marty Gable (BILL CAMP). Dominika moves there and shares a large apartment with a fellow spy, Marta (THEKLA REUTEN), who's working for their station chief, Maxim Volontov (DOUGLAS HODGE), to get American satellite intel from Stephanie Boucher (MARY-LOUISE PARKER), the chief of staff for a U.S. senator. From that point on, and with increasing perils facing both, Dominika and Nate enter a dangerous spy dance together where it's uncertain who's playing who and how things might turn out.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Older teens might be, especially if they're fans of Lawrence, other cast members, or espionage-related movies.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For strong violence, torture, sexual content, language and some graphic nudity.

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