Romantic spy thriller ‘All the Old Knives’ drawing solid early reviews

Actor Chris Pine said recently he would never appear in a horror movie, but if the reviews for his All the Old Knives spy thriller continue to be as promising as they are now, audiences could see him in similar kinds of work down the line.

Critical assessments of the Amazon production, which premieres Friday, began appearing online earlier today. David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter likened the intimacy of the story Pine plays in alongside Thandiwe Newton to a stage play, and lauded how each performer portrays the range of emotions their characters go through after a disaster.

“Pine and Newton excel at revealing the extent to which both Henry and Celia – beneath their carefully guarded exteriors – are haunted by the past, and by the abrupt way in which the hijacking derailed their blossoming relationship. Their respective backgrounds add shading to the character portraits, as does the sorrow each carries with them about the bad decisions of that day and the heavy weight of its casualties. The lingering sparks of romantic connection further complicate those feelings.”

Over at Variety Owen Gleiberman expressed a similar sentiment. He said Pine and Newton click and, of the things to highlight in the piece, the pair sitting at a table in a restaurant as the day winds down made for sharp visual language.

“It’s an interrogation, a reminiscence laced with flirtation and a cat and-mouse game. Not to mention the film’s way of sketching in the story and it all flows like wine because Pine and Newton know how to turn up the sizzle in a slow-burn way, even as they keep us guessing as to who’s zooming who.”

Finally, The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw noted the project was watchable. He said the engagement between Pine and Newton on screen was complex and the flashbacks were dizzying, but also said this was the best kind of spy narrative work. He also noted it is good to see Newton in a key role, as when given lead parts, she can do amazing things onscreen.

“Pine and Newton handle this choreography with maturity and style; Newton particularly shows how impressive she is with the right role.”

The movie currently has an 85 percent positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 13 reviews.