Are Red Sparrows Real? The New Jennifer Lawrence Movie Is More Truth Than Fiction

[orangecrush]

In the new film Red Sparrow, Jennifer Lawrence portrays Dominika Egorova, a special type of spy known as a sparrow. In the movie, sparrows are shown to be a certain branch of the Russian Intelligence Service (SVR) that trains women to be "honey traps" who use their sexuality to seduce and compromise foreign assets, like say, a CIA agent. But are red sparrows real, or is the movie just an example of James Bond-inspired spy fiction?

Believe it or not, there was at one time a dedicated sparrow program in Russia, and it's believed that Russian honey trap spies still exist even without a specific program built around them. This is according to Jason Matthews, author of the novel Red Sparrow, upon which the movie is based. And Matthews didn't just take to Google to do the research for his 2013 book; he drew upon his own life experiences. That's because Matthews spent 33 years as a CIA agent before becoming an author, and was therefore plenty knowledgeable about Russian tradecraft (the term used by intelligence officers to describe their jobs). "There was a Sparrow School in Kazan, in the Republic of Tatarstan, in European Russia, during the Cold War, and the use of sexual entrapment and compromise of targets by the Russians is well documented," Matthews told Publishers Weekly in 2013. "I don’t know if there still is an operating Sparrow School, but I imagine honey traps are still used."


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bustle.com/p/are-red-sparrows-real-the-new-jennifer-lawrence-movie-is-more-truth-than-fiction-8261557/amp

[shenmue]

1. I saw it yesterday

Not too good. Some good parts, but not enough.

[orangecrush]

2. It is not

for the feint of heart.

Or kids.

Stunned silence in the audience.

Won't give any spoilers, but...

did read Jennifer Lawrence went to "ballet boot camp" and was trained for the dance part by masters.

(the upper body is her, the lower was a real prima ballerina.)

Also, "the matron" was dead on. I knew a female WW2 OSS veteran, now passed. Reminded me very much of her.

A woman who earned a Masters in business in the 1930's.

Extremely religious Catholic (Polish), but at the same time open minded, understanding and tolerant, with a nearly supernatural understanding of human nature.

It was amusing to see her interact with people. Control was second nature to her, I think she sometimes did it out of boredom with ordinary life.

Coquettish even in her 80's.

It was an honor to know her.

[avebury]

3. I really liked the movies and now want to

read the trilogy (Red Sparrow is the first book).

[orangecrush]

4. Likewise

I have to read them after seeing that.

The books are no doubt excellent!

[NewJeffCT]

5. Didn't love the movie

Thought it was pretty good and a lot of good actors in it. was surprised that we had a topless scene from Lawrence as I had thought she was famous for not doing them?

[orangecrush]

6. Well...

that rule is officially broken!



I thought the woman who played the drunken Senate staffer trying to sell info hit it out of the park!

"Right in the middle of Red Sparrow’s psychosexual insanity exists a phenomenal short film that I have titled “Mary-Louise Parker Doesn’t Really Give a Shit About Your Little Spy Movie, Jennifer Lawrence” (alternatively: “Drinking Out Loud with Mary-Louise Parker” or even “Mary-Louise Parker Fucking Rules,” followed by more exclamation points than AP style allows). In a single scene that lasts for approximately ten minutes, MLP drunkenly hobbles away with JLaw’s entire movie."

http://www.vulture.com/2018/02/red-sparrow-mary-louise-parker-drunk-scene.html