THE SPY AND THE POET

It’s quite possible few Americans know where Estonia is on the map, but it boasts a diverse terrain complete with forests, beaches, and islands. THE SPY AND THE POET is a multi-faceted story from Estonian director Toomas Hussar and, like the country in which it is set, the film’s terrain is mixed, complete with absurdism, gun fights, and a sexy Russian spy. Gustav is a man who lives more like an insurance actuary with OCD than someone entrusted with keeping his country safe from, well, Russian spies. Perfectly happy with the normalcy in his café-visiting routine, Gustav suddenly finds himself at the center of international intrigue when a slacker poet crosses with the beautiful Nala, setting forth a chain of events that shake up Gustav’s quiet existence. Teetering the line between dark comedy and thriller, THE SPY AND THE POET is an entrancing look at a man who, much like his country, is trying to seal his identity when he’s surrounded by chaos. (In English, Estonian, and Russian with subtitles) —T.W.