This review of “Farewell” appears on KTKA-49.
A 2010 espionage thriller that may have slipped under your radar is now out on Blu-ray and DVD and is definitely worth checking out.
“Farewell” is loosely based on the story of a KGB analyst in the early 1980s who became disillusioned with the Soviet regime and began passing unprecedented numbers of secret KGB documents to the French government.
The movie claims that these actions led directly to the 1987 Soviet-US nuclear treaty and eventually the downfall of the USSR, but at the same time, it keeps the story focused on the personal sacrifices of the two men involved. It’s a smart strategy because it makes their secret correspondence even more fraught with danger.
On the other hand, the complete lack of special features on the DVD and Blu-ray is really disappointing, considering that the film is based on a true story.
A documentary about the informant would have been nice, but I guess that’s what we have the Internet for, right?
Eric is the Editor-in-Chief of Scene-Stealers.com and writes the Screen Stealers column for The Pitch. He’s President of the KCFCC, and drummer for The Dead Girls and Ultimate Fakebook. He is also Air Guitar World Champion Mean Melin. Eric goes to 11. Follow him at:
