No Way Out (1987)

There's a time in life that seems frozen - for me it was 1987 and the fine movies that came out that year.  This is one of them.  The rule is in effect - all plot points are coming, since this movie is over 20 years old!

Kevin Costner stars as Navy office Tom Farrell, assigned to work with the Secretary of Defense David Brice (Gene Hackman) at the behest of the secretary's right hand Tom (Will Patton).  It was the 80s and the Navy officer was a great leading man (Top Gun, An Officer and a  Gentleman).  The uniform never looked better than in those Reagan years.

Tom meets Susan (Sean Young)  and they have a very steamy affair, famous at the time.  They fall in love, but alas, Susan is the mistress of Tom's boss.  When David finds out, he kills Susan in a jealous rage.  He confesses to Tom who sets about to cover up the matter to protect his boss.  He says they will blame it on a mysterious Soviet spy "Yuri" who may or may not exist.

As the full power of the government comes down to find "Yuri", Tom is caught in the web.  It was no secret that he was seeing Susan, and as the investigation comes closer, the pressure increases... no way out... get it?

Tom attempts to fight back and the movie turns into quite a bloodbath.  At the end, Tom is getting interrogated.  He says to a mirror "I know you're back there!"  At that point, his landlord comes out -- and speaks to him IN RUSSIAN!  Turns out Tom really was Yuri.  Quite a final reveal.

In retrospect, this was based on a 1961 book and has a lot of Cold War aspects to it.  Still appropriate for its time in 1987.

* * * * *  of 5.   A classic to me.