Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- serious
- grounded
- serious movie night
- history-minded viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film well acted, believable, and impressively staged, while noting that its dramatization diverges substantially from the historical facts.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Pierre's diplomatic role, Mitterrand's political maneuvering, and Gregoriev's intelligence leaks are staged through offices, meetings, and covert contacts.
Gregoriev balances marriage, his teenage son, and a mistress while Froment conceals his espionage from Jessica.
Mitterrand exploits Gregoriev's information to make France indispensable to Reagan and the United States.
Gregoriev's leak of key Soviet moles and spies threatens the secrecy of the Soviet intelligence apparatus and Gorbachev's position.
Films like Farewell, and why
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
shared cold war espionage, political intrigue, morally pressured agents, and restrained thriller pacing
The Lives of Others
shared spycraft, divided loyalties, grounded realism, and tense bureaucratic atmosphere
Bridge of Spies
shared cold war paranoia, intelligence operations, and high-stakes geopolitical consequences
Movie Details
- Director
- Christian Carion
- Release Date
- 2009-09-23
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (144)
Cast
- Guillaume Canet
- Emir Kusturica
- Alexandra Maria Lara
- Ingeborga Dapkūnaitė
- Dina Korzun
- Evgeniy Kharlanov
- Niels Arestrup
- Willem Dafoe
- Fred Ward
- Philippe Magnan
Common questions
- What is Farewell about?
- A reckless Soviet colonel and an unlikely French diplomat turn a secret intelligence exchange into a dangerous bid to reshape the Cold War.
- What is Farewell like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Farewell as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Farewell violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Farewell as mild.
- What did critics think of Farewell?
- Critics broadly found the film well acted, believable, and impressively staged, while noting that its dramatization diverges substantially from the historical facts.
- Which films are like Farewell?
- Films with a similar feel include Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Lives of Others, and Bridge of Spies.
- How long is Farewell?
- Farewell runs 113 minutes.
