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| Spy Games | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Ilkka Järvi-Laturi |
| Written by | Patrick Amos |
| Produced by | Jonathan Karlsen |
| Starring | Bill Pullman Irène Jacob Bruno Kirby |
| Cinematography | Michel Amathieu Stephane Fontaine |
| Edited by | Alan Strachan |
| Music by | Courtney Pine |
| Distributed by | Trimark Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 95 minutes |
| Countries | Finland United States |
| Languages | English,Finnish |
Spy Games (released in some countries asHistory Is Made at Night) is a1999 film directed byIlkka Järvi-Laturi, and starringBill Pullman,Irène Jacob, andBruno Kirby. Written by Patrick Amos, the film is about a jaded CIA agent and a young and beautiful SVR agent fighting to save the world, their lives, and their secret love inpost Cold War Helsinki. Filmed inHelsinki,Finland andNew York City, the movie incorporates elements of romance, action, and thriller genres. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 10 September 1999.
Harry (Bill Pullman) is a seasonedCIA agent who is looking to forget his past and become his cover identity—a jazz club owner inHelsinki, Finland. Natasha (Irène Jacob) is a young, ambitiousSVR (KGB) agent who is looking to secure a future for herself amidst the chaos of the newRussian Federation and her floundering intelligence agency. Originally assigned to spy on Harry, Natasha has fallen in love with the object of her spying, and her assignment has led to a torrid love affair between the two. Like all couples, they are keeping secrets from each other—but in their case, the secrets have international implications.
Harry's life with Natasha is disrupted when a young, over-zealous CIA agent, Dave (Glenn Plummer), comes to Helsinki to intercept a videotape encoded with state secrets en route fromNew York City. The videotape's hidden code is so sensitive that those who come in contact with the tape are soon killed. Dave is pursuing the unsuspecting courier, a manic ex-bond trader named Max (Bruno Kirby), who is unaware of what he is carrying. Max took the job by chance, following his recent prison term for stock market fraud. Natasha sees the videotape as a possible ticket out of the SVR and into theUnited States and theAmerican Dream. In fact, everyone involved except Harry is planning to exploit the encoded videotape. Harry's only plan is to prevent Natasha from getting herself killed—or worse, from leaving him for the U.S.[1]
Shooting locations includedHelsinki and theHelsinki-Vantaa International Airport in Finland.
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 10 September 1999, and opened in Finland on 22 October 1999.Spy Games was released on DVD in the United States on 11 July 2000.