Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Blistering performances.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I have read a few John Le Carre books (although not The Russia House) and was not as impressed as most other people seemed to be. People say that the movie is slow and cerebral (and it is) but really that is how Le Carre's books read. Sean Connery never puts in a bad performance, and neither does Michelle Pfeiffer. And it never hurts that she is sooooo beautiful. Klaus Maria Brandauer is also always good and still is here. The problem is the script, which relates back to the source material. It is a little bit of a bore. Not badly, just a bit. It looks like the filmmakers were so proud to be filming in the USSR, that they went a little overboard. Not every place in Russia is St. Basil's and the Winter Palace. Overall the film is OK.

Directed by Fred Schepisi, "The Russia House" should be more like "The Russia Bore". It is a failure of a story with ultra-slow pacing and devoid of needed tension. I seem to recall this coming to the theater and reading a drubbing by critics at the time. That drubbing is likely warranted. The only redeeming factor here in a small way is the inter-cut and backdrop shots of Moscow and Leningrad. It feels much like a travelogue, and although dated over 20 years ago, has a historical and almost rustic feel. But this isn't nearly enough. Some other problems are the complete lack of romance/chemistry between Michelle Pheiffer and Connery, easily old enough to be her Father. The whole espionage vantage feels punch-less. And the music is monotonous and tacky. Can't recommend it, although there are certainly worse movies out there. 5/10

Is it just me or does Sean Connery have a good track record for making uninteresting movies, particularly where he's the main character? This is much like "Cuba", another bore from him from over a decade earlier. The only movie by him I really liked was the Hitchcock film "Marnie" and he wasn't the central character in that. Watch him as James Bond, though he's far from the best Bond, in my opinion, and his Sixties' Bond is rather tepid compared to the later ones, including Roger Moore. Don't get me started on other stinkers from him, like "Outland", "The Name of the Rose", "The Offence", "The Hunt for Red October", "The Man who would be King", "Rising Sun", "The Molly Maguires", "Wrong is Right"...

for me,this adaptation of A John le Carr'e novel is nothing spectacular.in fact,i found it boring and hard to follow.plus,i didn't find any of the character compelling.and there were many predictable moments as well.i will say though that Michele Pfeiffer was convincing as a Russian woman.she had the accent down pat,as far as i could tell.and there were some nice shots of Russian buildings.some of the old buildings are quite magnificent to behold.unfortunately,none of the above is the reason i wanted to watch the movie.i just wanted it end,but i went on and on.and on.anyway,my vote for the Russia House is a 5/10