Our Kind of Traitor

What would you do if a mobster asked you for help? In this globetrotting spy thriller based on a John le Carré novel, a university lecturer named Perry (Ewan McGregor) is surprisingly amenable, having discovered that his new friend, Dima (Stellan Skarsgård), is the principle money launderer for the Russian mafia. Dima is concerned about the safety of his family, and he is looking for a way out, so he asks Perry to deliver classified information to MI6. Why does Perry agree? Director Susanna White (graduating from TV serials like Bleak House and Parade's End) never provides us with a satisfying explanation, and you keep wondering why he would risk his life for a man he barely knows. The plot does offer mild intrigue throughout, as Perry dices with danger, and it receives a lift whenever the focus shifts to Hector (Damian Lewis), the dogged MI6 agent who is working with Dima. Unfortunately, though, far too many scenes play out in a predictable manner and the end result is disappointingly average.