Argylle

Matthew Vaughn, the director behind Kingsman: The Secret Service, brings his signature blend of high-octane action and irreverent comedy to Argylle. The film follows Elly Conway, a reclusive spy novelist played by Bryce Dallas Howard, whose quiet life is upended when her fictional stories start matching real-world espionage. Henry Cavill appears as Argylle, the dashing secret agent from her books, while Sam Rockwell plays Aidan, a genuine spy with a cat allergy who becomes Elly's reluctant guide. The cast also includes Bryan Cranston as a shadowy director, Catherine O'Hara as Elly's mother, and Sofia Boutella as a formidable operative. Produced by Vaughn's Marv Studios alongside Apple Studios, the film carried a reported $200 million budget but earned only $96 million worldwide, making it a box office disappointment. Critics gave it mixed reviews, with a 6/10 rating from over 1,700 votes. Vaughn's signature visual flair and comedic tone are on full display, though the convoluted plot drew comparisons to his earlier spy spoofs. Set across London, France, Greece, and Colorado, Argylle aims to be a globe-trotting thriller with a meta twist.[edit]

Elly Conway lives a quiet life in upstate New York with her cat Alfie, struggling to finish the fifth novel in her bestselling Argylle series. Her mother Ruth urges her to socialize, but Elly prefers solitude. Her fictional hero, Agent Argylle, is a suave British operative battling the evil Division.

While traveling by train to visit her parents, Elly is attacked by armed assailants. She is rescued by Aidan Wilde, a real spy who reveals that the plots in her novels accurately depict actual covert operations. The Division, the villainous organization from her books, is real and believes Elly holds encrypted files that could expose them.

Aidan, who suffers from a severe cat allergy, becomes Elly's protector. They flee across Europe, from London to Paris to Greece and eventually to Colorado. Elly learns that her writer's block stems from suppressed memories about her own identity. Flashbacks to Argylle's adventures begin mirroring events from Elly's past, blurring the line between fiction and reality.

Along the way, they encounter Saba Al-Badr, a deadly Division operative with a personal vendetta; Keira, a tech-savvy ally; Wyatt, a hulking enforcer; and Lagrange, a glamorous assassin. Samuel L. Jackson appears as Alfie, a mysterious figure with connections to Elly's past, while Richard E. Grant portrays Director Fowler, a rival intelligence chief. The story builds toward Elly confronting the truth about her connection to the Argylle novels and the Division.[edit]