Redford plays Nathan effortlessly, with charm and ease. He leaves most of the action sequences to the younger actor and that is a wise thing, considering his age. Yet again, Pitt proves that he has the acting talent to go with his looks. The scenes where Pitt and Redford appear together are nicely written and acted.

The only negative points in the film are the background music, which is jarring at times, and the slightly dragging middle part, but it does build up the tempo for the finale. These defects are more than compensated by Redford and Pitt and this is one film that is worth watching.

When I realized this and watched the movie for the second time on DVD, I saw this film for what it really was...A superb chess match between Redfords character and the CIA bureacracy. Everything else is truly secondary. Though exciting and dramatic, the storys (portrayed as flashbacks in the film) that Redfords character shares with the CIA taskforce, is really a strategy he is using to "win the game...a game which you dont want to lose"

Again, these flashbacks are insightful and sometimes thrilling, but are not meant to be represented as elements for an action film. It is a thinking mans movie for someone who likes there intelligence films to be intelligent. Hence the title Spy Game. Remember, some games are not won by brute physical force but with brains and strategic thinking instead.

The story unfolds in flashbacks, as Bishop has been captured by the Chinese government during a botched prison breakout. Bishop's mentor, Muir, is tidying up his affairs as he prepares to retire, but is forced to intercede with the CIA brass as they try to avoid an international incident by painting Bishop as a rogue agent; they hope that by leaving Bishop to be executed in China, the China/USA free trade summit will go off without a hitch. Muir's tale of Bishop's recruitment and training takes us from Vietnam to Germany to Beirut, and we see the behind-the-scenes machinations that REALLY make the world go 'round....

In the hands of a less-skilled director, the constant switching between the CIA tribunal and the globe-trotting flashbacks might have been confusing, but Tony Scott handles them deftly, using little visual tricks to differentiate the various locales, such as the sepia-tinted Vietnam scenes, and the sun-scorched vistas of Beirut. Redford brings humor and depth to Muir; he's always a welcome presence in any movie. Pitt elicits a great sense of sympathy as Bishop, an idealist who might not be cut-throat enough to play this game.....

Fans of espionage thrillers won't be disappointed.