In the Company of Spies is a rare bird - it shows a positive view of the CIA, and gives a fairly realistic picture of what they do. It was the first movie to be filmed inside of CIA Headquarters, which is quite a resume. The CIA didn't even let Harrison Ford get past the entrance!
The premise is that an Jack Marco, American CIA agent in North Korea, is captured while trying to discover information about the NK nuclear program. He's one of a dying breed of human intelligence (HUMINT) officers, the old-fashioned spooky "James Bond" types. Back home, the CIA director seeks out the spy's protogee and former boss to get him out. The retired agent agrees to return, but only if he can form his own cross-discipline team. This team includes an old girlfriend who is an Agency psychologist, a pair of imagery analysts whose marraige is on the rocks, a flamingly gay techno-geek, and Clancy. Clancy plays Dale Beckham, another of the dying breed of HUMINT officers. Only he's doing a good job of killing himself and his career by drinking heavily. We first meet him at the CIA's training ground teaching new agents how to drive offensively. Beckwith agrees to stop drinking long enough to get Marco out, and joins the team. Unfortunately, he starts out by getting on everyone's bad side, especially the psychologist.
Beckwith is then sent to North Korea to find out what the Marco had found out. This is where Clancy does his best work. His "cover" is of a British bank auditor, because he's meeting a British intelligence agent in Pyongyang. You haven't lived until you've heard Clancy with a high-class British accent! Although he did a good job, it was a little hard to believe that this big hulking guy was a bank auditor. Then again, the entire country of North Korea seems to have a "stupid virus" epidemic in this movie, so anything's possible.
While in North Korea, Beckham witnesses Marco's execution, and manages to discover vital information, which he relays back to the team via his Palm Pilot. Just as he's ready to leave, he's captured by the North Korean authorities. Fortunately, he's convincing enough as the British auditor, and they let him go. However, he winds up giving his Palm Pilot to the Korean general who is questioning him! Once he gets out of the country, the ship carrying the nuclear-related cargo is destroyed by a SEAL team, and the world remains safe for democracy.
While In the Company of Spies does a great job of keeping things realistic, there are a few unbelievable moments. For example, both Beckham and the SEAL team communicate with CIA HQ in real-time via satellite. While not impossible, it would take a heck of a lot of bandwidth and a MUCH bigger antenna than Clancy had! The other problem I had was with the gay guy. I'm sure there's gays at the CIA, but they're wearing suits and ties like everyone else. This guy looked more at home in Dupont Circle (the gay area of DC) than at Langley.
In the Company of Spies is a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat movie that owes a lot to another Clancy - Tom Clancy. It's a little more patriotic and "rah-rah CIA" for people raised on The X-Files and shadowy government conspiracy fans. But if you're into things like JAG and Tom Clancy movies, don't miss In the Company of Spies. I give it five Palm Pilots out of five.