This article is about the film. For the novel on which the film is based, see Red Sparrow (novel) . For other uses, see Red sparrow.
Red Sparrow is a 2018 American spy thriller film directed by Francis Lawrence and written by Justin Haythe , based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Jason Matthews. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton , Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling ,
Mary-Louise Parker , and Jeremy Irons . It tells the story of a Russian intelligence officer who is sent to make contact with a CIA agent in the hope of discovering the identity of a mole .
Red Sparrow
Theatrical release poster Directed by
Francis Lawrence Produced by
Peter Chernin
Steven Zaillian
Jenno Topping
David Ready Screenplay by
Justin Haythe Based on
Red Sparrow
by Jason Matthews Starring
Jennifer Lawrence
Joel Edgerton
Matthias Schoenaerts
Charlotte Rampling
Mary-Louise Parker
Jeremy Irons Music by
James Newton Howard Cinematography
Jo Willems Edited by
Alan Edward Bell Production
company
TSG Entertainment
Chernin Entertainment Distributed by
20th Century Fox Release date
February 15, 2018 ( Newseum )
March 2, 2018 (United States [1] ) Running time
140 minutes [2] Country
United States Language
English Budget
$69 million [3] Box office
$151.5 million [3]
Matthews, a former member of the CIA, advised the production on the depiction of spying. Based on historic Soviet sexpionage and contemporary Russian use of
kompromat , filming took place in Hungary, Slovakia and Austria. Jennifer Lawrence studied with the New York City Ballet to prepare for her performance.
Red Sparrow premiered at Newseum in Washington, D.C. on February 15, 2018, and was released in the United States on March 2, 2018. The film grossed $151 million worldwide becoming a modest box office success and received mixed reviews from critics, who described it as having "more style than substance", and criticized the film's length and over-reliance on graphic violence and sex, while praising Jennifer Lawrence's performance. [4]
[5]
Plot
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In modern-day Russia, Dominika Egorova is a famed Russian ballerina who supports her ill mother. Following a career-ending injury, Dominika is approached by her uncle, Ivan, the Deputy Director of SVR . She is tasked with seducing Dimitry Ustinov, a Russian gangster, in exchange for her mother's continued medical care. As Ustinov rapes her, he is killed by Sergei Matorin, an SVR operative authorized by Ivan. Ivan offers Dominika a choice to begin working for the SVR, or be executed so there are no witnesses to Ustinov's death.
Nate Nash is a CIA operative working in Moscow. While meeting with an asset in Gorky Park , they are confronted by the police. Nash creates a diversion to ensure his asset, a mole in Russian ranks code-named Marble, escapes unidentified. Nash is reassigned back to the U.S. but insists that he is the only individual whom Marble will work with. Since he cannot return to Russia, he is assigned to Budapest , where he will regain contact with Marble.
Dominika is sent to State School 4, a specialist training schools for 'Sparrows', SVR operatives capable of seducing their targets. Dominika excels in her training, despite some friction with her trainers, and she is assigned to Budapest. Meanwhile the SVR has been tracking Nash, and hopes to find out the identity of Marble. Dominika's assignment is to gain the trust of Nash, and reveal his contact.
Upon her arrival in Budapest, Dominika lives with Marta Yelenova, another Sparrow. Her boss in Budapest is Maxim Volontov. Dominika quickly makes contact with Nash, who correctly determines that she is a Russian intelligence operative. Dominika reveals her true identity to him, as well as her motive to find out Marble's identity. Dominika inspects Marta's room, and realizes that she is working to gather information from Stephanie Boucher, the chief of staff to a U.S. Senator. Dominika claims to her uncle that she is helping in Marta's effort to gather information from Boucher.
Dominika offers to work for Nash as a double agent . She carries out Marta's assignment to meet Boucher,
