This review written in 2016. The Bond franchise is still in play, barely, and upstart franchises like FF7 are slowly but surely taking over the traditional spy "caper." And then there is Page 8. Wow. Assuming, as a moviephile, you don't swoon merely on hearing the cast (Felicity Jones and Michael Gambon in supporting roles!) the story, the pacing, the direction, the dialog, the cinematography, the acting --- these are all a treat to be savoured.

This is of course the other side of the spy game, with a hero who boasts that he doesn't "do violence" and who when asked by an associate that he no longer trusts, why he picked a certain restaurant for the rendez-vous, proudly answers, "For the best reason of all, the food." Nighy in one of the best roles of his career also talks about life not being worth living without honour. Not many actors could make that line ring true. He does.

Astonishing, under-rated and to a large degree unappreciated.

And massively recommended.

Bill Nighy really could be turning into this generation's David Niven - with a more world-weary edge, mind you, but he has an immense charm without any swarm, and puts it to excellent use in Page Eight. He plays a civil servant and security analyst coming to the end of his career in the upper echelons of Whitehall who discovers that politics and war are not honourable affairs.

With an outstanding cast and an intelligent plot this remains a thriller - but one without the usual resort to unlikely battles and chases - it is very British, both in its tone and in its look - and what we get is a very nice thriller indeed.

If you like 60s cold war spies movies, and want a break from the Bourne type, then this will fit the bill very nicely. Intelligent, beautifully paced and acted, and all in all a nice break from action films to something more purposeful and, really, a satisfying watch.

Johnny Worricker (Bill Nighy) is an old hand in MI5. One night, he's pulled into his neighbor Nancy Pierpan (Rachel Weisz)'s apartment to help her end a bad date. Only Nancy's date keeps hanging around. He has a rocky relationship with his artist daughter Julianne (Felicity Jones). He's suspicious and later finds out that she's a journalist with arab ties. His superior and friend Benedict Baron (Michael Gambon) gives him a file about American detention black sites to read. On the bottom of page 8, the report says "Downing Street already knows about this." Home Secretary Anthea Catcheside (Saskia Reeves) is taken aback. Johnny is a dinosaur and apolitical. When Benedict Baron dies, he is being cornered by the prime minister (Ralph Fiennes).

This is a modern spy thriller. I'm reluctant to call this a thriller. It's not just that there are no shootouts or car chases. The pacing is quite slow. Then there is the danger involved for the protagonist. It's hard to see where the danger for him lies. Basically he has something valuable but unless people starts taking shots at him, there is no danger. Bill Nighy is interesting but has no energy in this role. And his romance with Rachel Weisz is awkward as heck.