10 Movies & Shows Like Operation Cicero (2019)

Description: A sprawling, meticulously detailed drama about the early days of the CIA, focusing on the personal sacrifices and ethical compromises made in the name of national security.

Fact: Robert De Niro, who directed the film, also plays a small role as a general. The script was partially based on real-life events and figures from the intelligence community.

Description: A haunting exploration of surveillance and loyalty in East Germany, where a Stasi officer becomes emotionally entangled with the lives of those he is monitoring.

Fact: The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The director consulted former Stasi officers to ensure the authenticity of the surveillance techniques depicted.

Description: A morally complex thriller about covert operations and revenge, exploring the psychological toll on agents tasked with carrying out assassinations in the shadowy world of espionage.

Fact: The film sparked controversy for its fictionalized account of real events surrounding the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Description: A gripping tale of espionage and its long-lasting repercussions, shifting between past missions and present-day consequences, with themes of guilt, secrecy, and redemption.

Fact: The film is a remake of the 2007 Israeli film 'Ha-Hov.' Helen Mirren performed many of her own stunts, including a fight scene, despite being in her mid-60s during filming.

Description: A slow-burning, atmospheric spy thriller set during the Cold War, focusing on betrayal, deception, and the meticulous unraveling of a mole within British intelligence.

Fact: The film is based on John le Carré's novel of the same name, and le Carré himself had worked for both MI5 and MI6 before becoming a writer.

Description: A stylish, action-packed spy caper set in the 1960s, blending humor with high-stakes missions and a focus on the uneasy alliance between intelligence operatives from rival nations.

Fact: The film is based on the 1960s television series of the same name. Director Guy Ritchie used minimal CGI, opting for practical effects and real stunts to capture the era's authenticity.

Description: A tense, atmospheric spy thriller about the murky world of counterterrorism, where moral ambiguity and bureaucratic hurdles complicate the pursuit of justice.

Fact: This was one of Philip Seymour Hoffman's final film roles before his death. The movie is based on John le Carré's novel, and much of it was shot on location in Hamburg, Germany.

Description: A gripping historical drama centered around espionage and code-breaking during World War II, featuring a brilliant but socially awkward protagonist navigating high-stakes intelligence work.

Fact: The film's script was featured in the 2011 Black List, a survey of the most liked unproduced screenplays in Hollywood. It won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Description: A Cold War-era drama that delves into the tense negotiations and moral dilemmas surrounding the exchange of captured spies, highlighting the human side of espionage.

Fact: The film marks the fourth collaboration between director Steven Spielberg and actor Tom Hanks. It was partially shot in Berlin, near the actual locations where the events took place.

Description: A tense, fact-based spy thriller set during the Cold War, revolving around an ordinary man recruited to smuggle intelligence out of the Soviet Union, with life-or-death consequences.

Fact: The film is based on the true story of Greville Wynne, a British businessman who played a key role in one of the most pivotal moments of the Cold War. It was originally titled 'Ironbark' in some markets.