Secret Agents
From his offices in Switzerland, Russian Igor Lipovsky is engaged in a vast and profitable gunrunning operation with Africa. The French government wants to hinder the activities of the arms dealer and sends a team to sink one of his ships heading for Angola with a load of illegal weaponry. Lisa, Brisseau, Loïc, Tony and Raymond are professionals: they carefully set up their cover, plan all their moves meticulously, and carry out orders without asking questions. Perhaps they should. The code-name of the mission is "Janus;" and just like with the ancient deity, there are two opposite faces for every aspect of the operation: the objective of the French government, the role of each team member, the presumed friend and the assumed foe.
The film earned $6.2M at the global box office.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Secret Agents (2004) exhibits precise narrative architecture, characteristic of Frédéric Schoendoerffer's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 49 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.2, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Lisa and other French intelligence agents conduct routine surveillance operations in Morocco, establishing their professional world of espionage and covert operations.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when An operation goes catastrophically wrong when an asset is killed, and the team discovers evidence of a mole within French intelligence, compromising ongoing missions and agent safety.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Lisa makes the active choice to go deep undercover to identify the traitor, accepting a dangerous assignment that will isolate her from support and put her directly in harm's way., moving from reaction to action.
At 54 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Lisa discovers evidence pointing to someone close to her as the traitor, a false defeat that seems to compromise the entire investigation and raises the stakes dramatically as she realizes the conspiracy goes deeper than anticipated., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 81 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Tony is killed in an ambush set by the mole. Lisa loses her partner and closest ally, a literal death that represents the complete breakdown of trust and the failure of her mission to protect her team., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 87 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Lisa finds a final clue left by Tony before his death that reveals the true identity of the mole. She synthesizes all the evidence and realizes how to expose the traitor using her espionage skills., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Secret Agents's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Secret Agents against these established plot points, we can identify how Frédéric Schoendoerffer utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Secret Agents within the crime genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional crime films include The Bad Guys, 12 Rounds and A Bronx Tale.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Lisa and other French intelligence agents conduct routine surveillance operations in Morocco, establishing their professional world of espionage and covert operations.
Theme
A senior officer warns about the cost of living a double life: "In this job, you can't trust anyone, not even yourself." The theme of identity and betrayal in the spy world is established.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to the French secret service operations, the team dynamics, Lisa's professional competence, and the dangerous world of international intelligence gathering across North Africa and Europe.
Disruption
An operation goes catastrophically wrong when an asset is killed, and the team discovers evidence of a mole within French intelligence, compromising ongoing missions and agent safety.
Resistance
Lisa and her team debate how to proceed with the mole hunt while maintaining operational security. Internal politics and conflicting loyalties within the agency create tension about whom to trust.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Lisa makes the active choice to go deep undercover to identify the traitor, accepting a dangerous assignment that will isolate her from support and put her directly in harm's way.
Mirror World
Lisa encounters Tony, a fellow agent who becomes her partner in the investigation. Their relationship introduces questions of trust and loyalty that mirror the central theme of betrayal.
Premise
The spy thriller delivers on its premise as Lisa navigates dangerous undercover operations, follows leads across international locations, and experiences the thrilling cat-and-mouse game of espionage while hunting the mole.
Midpoint
Lisa discovers evidence pointing to someone close to her as the traitor, a false defeat that seems to compromise the entire investigation and raises the stakes dramatically as she realizes the conspiracy goes deeper than anticipated.
Opposition
The traitor becomes aware of Lisa's investigation and actively works against her. Operations collapse, agents are exposed, and Lisa finds herself increasingly isolated as she can't determine who is loyal and who is compromised.
Collapse
Tony is killed in an ambush set by the mole. Lisa loses her partner and closest ally, a literal death that represents the complete breakdown of trust and the failure of her mission to protect her team.
Crisis
Devastated by Tony's death and the apparent success of the traitor, Lisa wrestles with guilt, doubt, and the question of whether to abandon the mission or continue despite having lost everything.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Lisa finds a final clue left by Tony before his death that reveals the true identity of the mole. She synthesizes all the evidence and realizes how to expose the traitor using her espionage skills.
Synthesis
Lisa executes a plan to trap the mole, combining her intelligence training with personal determination. The finale includes confrontation, revelation of the full conspiracy, and resolution of the threat to French intelligence.
Transformation
Lisa completes her mission but stands alone, forever changed by the betrayal and loss. The final image shows her understanding the true cost of the spy life - she has become what the theme warned about, unable to fully trust again.