Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- paranoid
- intimate
- melancholic
- late night thriller viewing
- quiet evening
What critics said
Critics generally found the cast and central premise compelling, especially the chemistry between Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton, but considered the nonlinear execution generic and uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Henry and Celia's restaurant meeting is repeatedly set against the earlier Vienna CIA operation and its aftermath.
Henry and Celia's former relationship becomes inseparable from questions about espionage, betrayal, and divided loyalties.
The reunion over a meal functions as the film's central pressure chamber while Henry investigates the possible mole.
The CIA operation, airliner hijacking, and later confrontation are all anchored to Vienna as an espionage crossroads.
Films like All the Old Knives, and why
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
shares a restrained espionage thriller framework, divided loyalties, and morally ambiguous intelligence operatives
The Constant Gardener
combines spy tradecraft, romantic betrayal, and an investigation into institutional secrecy
The Little Drummer Girl
uses former lovers and intelligence conspiracies to create a tense, emotionally conflicted thriller
Movie Details
- Director
- Janus Metz
- Release Date
- 2022-04-08
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (668)
Cast
- Chris Pine
- Thandiwe Newton
- Jonathan Pryce
- Laurence Fishburne
- Corey Johnson
- Jonjo O'Neill
- Ahd Kamel
- David Dawson
- Nasser Memarzia
- Orli Shuka
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is All the Old Knives about?
- Former CIA lovers reunite in Vienna for a deceptively intimate reckoning over a failed operation and the identity of a traitor.
- What is All the Old Knives like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of All the Old Knives as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is All the Old Knives violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in All the Old Knives as moderate.
- What did critics think of All the Old Knives?
- Critics generally found the cast and central premise compelling, especially the chemistry between Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton, but considered the nonlinear execution generic and uneven.
- Which films are like All the Old Knives?
- Films with a similar feel include Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Constant Gardener, and The Little Drummer Girl.
- How long is All the Old Knives?
- All the Old Knives runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch All the Old Knives?
- In United States, All the Old Knives streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
