Following an accident which ends the career of Russian ballerina Dominika Egorova her uncle, the Deputy Director of SVR, offers to help her by finding her a job working for the state. This leads her to 'Sparrow School' where agents are trained in seducing potential targets. The target she is given is CIA agent Nate Nash who is believed to have been in contact with a high level Russian official; it will be her job to get the name of the traitor. As she gets close to him it is uncertain who will ultimately turn who and the danger increases for both of them.

If you are looking for an action pack adventure along the lines of 'James Bond' you are likely to be disappointed; this is a much darker type of spy thriller. At times it is hard to watch as characters are tortured and there is a real sense of danger for even the most important of characters. Jennifer Lawrence is on great form as Dominika bringing both a senses of vulnerability and strength to the role. The rest of the cast, which includes many well-known actors, is solid too. The sense of tension builds quickly and remains high for most of the film; right up to the final scenes I had no idea how it would end for the protagonists. Overall I'd recommend this to fans of John le Carré style spy dramas where the craft if more important than the action.