Red Sparrow (2018)

Awards
- 3 wins & 9 nominations

Trivia
Source novelist Jason Matthews may not have encountered a real-life Dominika in his work with the CIA, but "honeypot" school was indeed part of Soviet intelligence training. "In the Soviet Union, they had a school that taught young women the art of entrapment, the art of seduction, for blackmailing intelligence targets," Matthews explained. "They had a Sparrow School in the city of Kazan, on the banks of the Volga River, where young women were taught how to be courtesans. They were called 'Sparrows'."

Goofs
General Korlinoi's medals are US Army medals. They include the Silver Star, the Purple Heart and the Army Good Conduct Medal.

Quotes
Matron: Every human being is a puzzle of need. You must become the missing piece, and they will tell you anything.

Crazy credits
The title doesn't appear until the 10-minute mark.

Alternate versions
The UK version is cut for "strong sadistic violence" to earn a 15 certificate instead of an 18, which was done based on BBFC advice. As both countries make up the same distribution region, Ireland also received the same cut version (rated 16 for cinema and 18 on video). The contentious scene shows Ustinov being strangled:
In the UK version, we only see a brief establishing shot where his hands are covering his throat, cutting right to a close-up of Dominika struggling but completely clean. The censored footage shows the wire cutting into Ustinov's throat for much longer, in more graphic detail after his arms hang loose, and him bleeding on Dominika's chest.
Ustinov collapsing uses an alternate shot in the UK version, and the second close-up of Dominika is digitally bloodless as with the first, but there's still blood on her chest when putting on her clothes as per the uncut version (a continuity error).
The uncut version is roughly 13 seconds longer.

Connections
Featured in Chris Stuckmann Movie Reviews: Red Sparrow (2018)

Soundtracks
Opus 40, no. 6
Written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

There is never a dull moment in the movie. JLaw did an amazing job although I am not much of a fan. I didn't care for her accent since she is speaking English in the movie anyway so who cares. For me her acting would have been as good without the accent as well. She portrays a cold and ruthless character and her expressions are enough to convey the message. Matthias Schoenaerts was also impressive. Ending took me by surprise. It could have been a much better movie if all Russian men were not portrayed as evil in the movie and all CIA as heroes and if graphic scenes were reduced. Nevertheless I found it more entertaining than Bond movies.