Rogue Agent (film) explained
Music: | Hannah Peel |
Cinematography: | Larry Smith |
Distributor: | Netflix |
Runtime: | 116 minutes |
Country: | United Kingdom |
Language: | English |
Budget: | < $10 million |
Gross: | $192,880[1] [2] |
Rogue Agent is a 2022 British biographical mystery drama thriller film directed by Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn in their feature length debut, from a screenplay the pair co-wrote with Michael Bronner based on the unpublished[3] article "Chasing Agent Freegard" by Michael Bronner. James Norton portrays Robert Hendy-Freegard, a conman who tricked and convinced several people that he was an MI5 agent. Gemma Arterton also stars as the person who brought him down, with additional cast members including Shazad Latif, Marisa Abela, Edwina Findley and Julian Barratt.
The film was released in the United Kingdom on 27 July 2022 on Netflix.
Premise
The film is based on Robert Hendy-Freegard, who masqueraded as an MI5 agent, conning several people into giving him their life savings and fooling them into going underground for fear of assassination by the IRA.
Cast
Production
On 22 January 2019, it was announced that James Norton would star in Chasing Agent Freegard, as one of three films produced between Great Point Media and The Development Partnership, with Norton producing through his own production company Rabbit Track Pictures.[4] By June 2020, Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn were attached to co-direct the feature from a screenplay by Michael Bronner.[5] [6] In May 2021, it was reported that Night Train Media would also finance the film, then retitled Freegard, and that Gemma Arterton, Shazad Latif, Marisa Abela, Edwina Findley and Julian Barratt had joined the cast.[7] [8] Filming commenced in London on 31 May 2021.[8] [9] Filming took place at Dover Castle and Dover Lighthouse. That July, Sarah Goldberg, Jimmy Akingbola, Freya Mavor, Rob Malone, Philip Wright, Michael Fenton Stevens and Charlotte Avery were added to the cast.[10] [11] According to Variety Insight, the film's budget is less than $10 million.[12] After six weeks, Lawn announced that principal photography had concluded on 12 July 2021.[13] The film was later retitled again to Rogue Agent.[14]
Release
In the United Kingdom, the film was released on 27 July 2022 on Netflix. In the United States, the film was released in cinemas by IFC Films and on streaming on AMC+ on 12 August 2022.[15] [2] [16]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a 73% approval rating, based on 40 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The website's consensus reads, "Even if it isn't as engaging as the real-life story that inspired it, Rogue Agent remains a well-acted and appealingly twisty suspense thriller."[17] On Metacritic, the film received a score of 61 out of 100, based on 11 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[18]
Notes and References
- 9731386 . Rogue Agent (2022) . 30 April 2023.
- Rogue-Agent-(2022-United-Kingdom) . Rogue Agent (2022) . 30 April 2023.
- News: Michael Bronner on "Rogue Agent" & Conman Robert Hendy-Freegard . Bronner . Michael . . 13 August 2022 . 30 April 2023.
- Web site: McMafia Star James Norton to Play Con Artist in Chasing Agent Freegard. 22 January 2019. Alex. Ritman. The Hollywood Reporter. https://web.archive.org/web/20210513171740/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mcmafias-james-norton-play-con-artist-chasing-agent-freegard-1177664/. 13 May 2021. live. 13 May 2021.
- Web site: The Salisbury Poisonings Writers Plan IRA Drama; Attached To Peter Kosminsky Show The Undeclared War & James Norton Feature. 2 June 2020. Jake. Kanter. Deadline Hollywood. https://web.archive.org/web/20210513172208/https://deadline.com/2020/06/the-salisbury-poisonings-adam-patterson-declan-lawn-ira-the-undeclared-war-1202949015/. 13 May 2021. live. 13 May 2021.
- Web site: Salisbury Poisonings Creators To Direct Thriller Film Chasing Agent Freegard Starring James Norton. 16 July 2020. Tom. Grater. Andreas. Wiseman. Deadline Hollywood. https://web.archive.org/web/20210513172213/https://deadline.com/2020/07/salisbury-poisonings-creators-to-direct-thriller-film-chasing-agent-freegard-starring-james-norton-1202987152/. 13 May 2021. live. 13 May 2021.
- Web site: Chasing Agent Freegard: Gemma Arterton, Shazad Latif Join James Norton Thriller (Exclusive). 13 May 2021. Naman. Ramachandran. Variety. https://web.archive.org/web/20210513172505/https://variety.com/2021/film/global/chasing-agent-freegard-shazad-latif-gemma-arterton-james-norton-1234972173/. 13 May 2021. live. 13 May 2021.
- Web site: Freegard: Herbert Kloiber's Night Train Media Boards James Norton & Gemma Arterton Thriller; Cast Rounds Out Ahead Of Shoot. 25 May 2021. Andreas. Wiseman. Deadline Hollywood. https://web.archive.org/web/20210525135414/https://deadline.com/2021/05/james-norton-gemma-arterton-freegard-movie-herbert-kloiber-night-train-1234763253/. 25 May 2021. live. 25 May 2021.
- #freegardfilm. https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CPiAaLVLL0o . 26 December 2021 . registration. 31 May 2021. James. Norton. James Norton (actor). Instagram. 31 May 2021.
- Web site: Freegard: Barry Star Sarah Goldberg & In The Long Run Star Jimmy Akingbola Join UK Thriller. 2 July 2021. Andreas. Wiseman. Deadline Hollywood. 2 July 2021. 28 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210728105454/https://deadline.com/2021/07/barry-sarah-goldberg-arrow-jimmy-akingbola-freegard-movie-james-norton-1234785452/. live.
- Web site: Industry & Skins Star Freya Mavor Joins James Norton Thriller Freegard. Deadline Hollywood. Andreas. Wiseman. 5 July 2021. 5 July 2021. 4 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210804102812/https://deadline.com/2021/07/industry-skins-star-freya-mavor-joins-james-norton-thriller-freegard-1234786236/. live.
- Web site: Film and TV Projects Going Into Production – Freegard. Variety Insight. https://web.archive.org/web/20210525140946/https://www.varietyinsight.com/production_restart_full_view.php?track_id=163070. 25 May 2021. live. 2 July 2021.
- Six weeks. 496 slates. A pandemic. What a blast. @ginarcarter99 #freegardfilm. https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CROr6ebBlBY . 26 December 2021 . registration. 12 July 2021. Declan. Lawn. Instagram. 12 July 2021.
- Web site: Rogue Agent: Release Date, Trailer, Cast, Filming Details, and Everything We Know So Far. July 24, 2022. Maddie. P.. Collider. July 29, 2022. 29 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220729202124/https://collider.com/rogue-agent-release-date-trailer-cast-filming-details-british-thriller/. live.
- Web site: IFC Films & AMC+ Pick Up James Norton & Gemma Arterton Espionage Thriller Freegard. May 16, 2022. Anthony. D'Alessandro. Deadline Hollywood. May 16, 2022. 29 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220629000355/https://deadline.com/2022/05/james-norton-gemma-arterton-freegard-ifc-films-1235024866/. live.
- Web site: Moore . Kasey . 2022-07-10 . Netflix UK Acquires Rights to 'Rogue Agent' starring Gemma Arterton . 2022-07-10 . What's on Netflix . 10 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220710193320/https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/netflix-uk-acquires-rights-to-rogue-agent-starring-gemma-arterton/ . live .
- Web site: Rogue Agent. Rotten Tomatoes. January 28, 2023. 28 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230128205736/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rogue_agent. live.
- Web site: Rogue Agent. Metacritic. January 28, 2023. 28 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230128205824/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/rogue-agent. live.