Suburban British housewife Ellen Burstyn discovers that her neighbor and close friend Teri Garr and her husband are actually Russian spies. When secret agents (led by Alan Bates) moves in to get the goods on them, Burstyn, husband Ronald Hines and their children's lives are turned upside down with burstyn in particular becoming a basket case. Garr becomes suspicious as Burstyn slowly becomes distant, but with national security at risk, there's nothing that Burstyn can do but comply.
With great performances, this is a chilling domestic drama, giving the theory that spies do just what they do, making a living and doing things everyone else does, just collecting information that happens to be secure or classified. Garr, playing her typical plucky, friendly yet dizzy female, has other aspects that adds a different dimension to the character. Ultimately, the film is a well written study of betrayal from many different sides, something that will resonate with many viewers. It took time to get used to Burstyn's accent, but she does a great job making the viewer feel this character's pain.
With great performances, this is a chilling domestic drama, giving the theory that spies do just what they do, making a living and doing things everyone else does, just collecting information that happens to be secure or classified. Garr, playing her typical plucky, friendly yet dizzy female, has other aspects that adds a different dimension to the character. Ultimately, the film is a well written study of betrayal from many different sides, something that will resonate with many viewers. It took time to get used to Burstyn's accent, but she does a great job making the viewer feel this character's pain.