'Red Sparrow' is a familiar U.S.-Russian spy thriller based on the 2013 novel of the same name.

Jennifer Lawrence and Joel Edgerton both excel in their roles, with Lawrence playing a ballerina turned state sponsored seductress tasked with prying information out of CIA agent Edgerton. At this point, no amount of intensity or nuance is beyond their acting range, which should come as no surprise to anyone following their careers.

The problem with 'Red Sparrow' lay in its plot, most notably in the complete lack of subtlety when unfurling certain plot points in an attempt to ramp up the drama. Perhaps it works better in the novel, where the actions of the spymasters are confined to the boundaries of one's own imagination. Regardless, a keen eye for editorial discretion is key. Case in point: the ending flirted with sheer brilliance, and audience members might've actually been able to appreciate it had they not been shell-shocked by a bizarre and completely nonsensical incestuous kiss leading up to the finale.