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Hidden Agenda

Hidden Agenda

Drama · Thriller · 1990

In Ireland, American lawyer Ingrid Jessner and her activist partner, Paul Sullivan, struggle to uncover atrocities committed by the British government against the Northern Irish during the "Troubles." But when Sullivan is assassinated in the streets, Jessner teams up with Peter Kerrigan, a British investigator acting against the will of his own government, and struggles to uncover a conspiracy that may even implicate one of Kerrigan's colleagues.

Movie details

Hidden Agenda

“Every government has one.”

1990 Drama · Thriller 1h 48m

Critical arithmetic

The consensus, allegedly.

IMDb

6.9 / 10

4.9K votes

Rotten Tomatoes

86 %

Tomatometer

TMDB

6.9 / 10

Community rating

External scores via OMDb · CC BY-NC 4.0. Values normalized for display; availability varies by title.

In Ireland, American lawyer Ingrid Jessner and her activist partner, Paul Sullivan, struggle to uncover atrocities committed by the British government against the Northern Irish during the "Troubles." But when Sullivan is assassinated in the streets, Jessner teams up with Peter Kerrigan, a British investigator acting against the will of his own government, and struggles to uncover a conspiracy that may even implicate one of Kerrigan's colleagues.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Hidden Agenda?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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The Informer

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The Deadly Affair

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Ken Loach

Written by

Jim Allen

Frances McDormand

Frances McDormand

Ingrid Jessner

Brian Cox

Brian Cox

Peter Kerrigan

Brad Dourif

Brad Dourif

Paul Sullivan

Mai Zetterling

Mai Zetterling

Moa

Bernard Archard

Bernard Archard

Sir Robert Neil

Michelle Fairley

Michelle Fairley

Teresa Doyle

Maurice Roëves

Maurice Roëves

Harris

Court is in session

Put Hidden Agenda on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.