In the beginning of WWII, with Britain becoming desperate, Churchill orders his new spy agency -- the Special Operations Executive (SOE) -- to recruit and train women as spies. Their daunting mission: conduct sabotage and build a resistance. SOE's "spymistress," Vera Atkins (Stana Katic), recruits two unusual candidates: Virginia Hall (Sarah Megan Thomas), an ambitious American with a wooden leg, and Noor Inayat Khan (Radhika Atpe), a Muslim pacifist. Together, these women he... (Full plot summary below)
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In the beginning of WWII, with Britain becoming desperate, Churchill orders his new spy agency -- the Special Operations Executive (SOE) -- to recruit and train women as spies. Their daunting mission: conduct sabotage and build a resistance. SOE's "spymistress," Vera Atkins (Stana Katic), recruits two unusual candidates: Virginia Hall (Sarah Megan Thomas), an ambitious American with a wooden leg, and Noor Inayat Khan (Radhika Atpe), a Muslim pacifist. Together, these women help to undermine the Nazi regime in France, leaving an unmistakable legacy in their wake. Inspired by true stories.
Leave your thoughts about A Call to Spy.
| RogerEbert.comSheila O'MalleyAn engrossing and often thrilling spy drama, and a tribute to this courageous and diverse group of women. |
| IndieWireKate ErblandTrue stories about brave, everyday people fighting evil powers never go out of fashion, and “A Call to Spy” joins their ranks with ease. |
| Austin ChronicleRichard WhittakerEven with all the conflations and simplifications, and a middle act that verges on an extended montage of guerrilla warfare and undercover intrigue, A Call to Spy is undeniably a heartfelt take on a fascinating and heartbreaking true tale of heroism. |
| VarietyLisa KennedyIn a world hungering for depictions of national valor and compassion, the movie’s variations on heroism are a boon. |
| Film ThreatAndy HowellAn important, compelling story that had to be told. |
| Movie NationRoger MooreAlthough the film hews closely to the historical record, the pace is so sedate one wonders if a brisker production could have carried the story on to the war’s end, as Hall’s exploits were ongoing. |
| Los Angeles TimesMichael OrdonaIt’s refreshing to come at the spy genre from a different angle and rewarding to be introduced to these extraordinary women. Just don’t expect a pulse-pounder or even a particularly atmospheric, experiential film. |
| The New York TimesLovia GyarkyeOne wishes the movie had been imagined as a limited series, which would give viewers an opportunity to spend more time with these women whose lives were so clearly rich and textured — not to mention, courageous. |
| The GuardianAndrew PulverThomas and Pilcher are determined to avoid making a flashy war epic, and stress the sacrifices of everyone involved; the downside of this is that A Call to Spy has a stolid pacing that makes you feel every minute of its two-hours-plus running time. But it’s still an interesting story that’s yet to fully come into the light. |
| Slant MagazineDan RubbinsBecause its focus is so split, the film lacks the pervasive sense of danger one expects from a spy thriller. |
