The clear talent to talk about concerning 'Spy Game' is that of Robert Redford 
and Brad Pitt.  Let that wait a second.  

'Spy Game' is directed by Tony Scott, brother of marquee director Ridley Scott.  
Despite clearly being over shadowed by his older brother, Tony Scott has 
directed some captivating motion pictures (e.g. 'Top Gun', 'True Romance', 
'Enemy of the State').  The first of two notable aspects of 'Spy Game' is the 
way the story is told.  CIA Agent Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) has been captured on an 
unauthorized mission in China, just days before important trade talks begin.  
The Chinese have sentenced him to death, execution in 24 hours.  Nathan Muir 
(Robert Redford) recruited and trained Bishop following the Vietnam War.  
Because of Muir's relationship to Bishop, CIA suits call Muir to the situation 
room to tell them all he can about Bishop, and the motivation behind his slip 
up.  In the CIA situation room at Langley, Muir tells a handful of stories, 
presented as flashbacks, about his interactions with Bishop over the years 
including some explosive missions (natch).  Meanwhile, between depositions, Muir 
pulls as many strings as he can from his office in Virginia to save Bishops life 
thousands of miles away.  The layering of plot and subplot through flashback is 
certainly nothing new, but this is one of few examples in which I find the 
mechanism to help the evolution of both plot lines and all involved characters. 
Generally, I find flashbacks to be disruptive; In 'Spy Game' the main and 
tangential plot lines are so engaging that it was comfortable to be switched 
from one to another.

Robert Redford's portrayal of Nathan Muir is what viewers have come to know and 
love about Robert Redford.  He's suave, but mildly abrasive, very much the wolf 
character: tender to his own, vicious to outsiders.  Brad Pitt is deferential in 
his execution of the Tom Bishop character.  It has been a few years since Pitt 
has taken so supporting a role as this.  I found it to show a degree of class.  
The gold star student bowing gracefully to the seasoned veteran.  Brad Pitt can 
be easily compared to a young Robert Redford.  That this is so concretely 
captured in 'Spy Game' will make it a film lover's favorite as Pitt matures into 
a veteran.