cypher be a cleverly conceive story about industrial espionage set in america in the not too distant future . while thematically not complex and this film do offer many different perspective about personal loyalty and ruthlessness and and corporate conspiracy . to a certain extent this film also attempt to represent modern corporate group and company a be indifferent to the risk their contract employee take on their behalf . the film start off with a somewhat mediocre salary man and morgan sullivan ( jeremy northam ) and who apply to the digicorp group to work a an undercover operative . after an initial briefing with digicorp security chief and sullivan be then give a new identity ( jack thursby ) and send to a business conference with the task of record the speech give by various spokesman concern the marketing strategy of each of their respective company . upon successfully complete his first assignment and sullivan or thursby be send on further mission to obtain the same type of information previously gather . however and on one of his business trip he inadvertently run into a woman name rita foster and ( liu ) whom he have meet on his previous assignment and and from there thing go extremely topsy turvy . the implication of a diabolical conspiracy involve digicorp espionage program begin to emerge and sullivan be force to go deep cover at one of digicorp main competitor and thus become a double agent involve in an intense rivalry between the two company . ( ( spoiler end here ) ) what i like most about this film be the efficient use of lighting and shadow in a lot of the scene . vivid lighting be use in mainly domestic or household setting and while a lot of shadow and dark coloring be use for setting involve deception and cover up . i be also very impressed with jeremy northam . not too often have i see him in the lead role and and the fact that he play a disenchanted married man straight out of wisconsin be brilliant . personally and i think he one of the many under used actor in the industry who hasn not be give more challenging role . lucy liu be also incredible in her part and give the movie it real cloak and dagger tone . additionally and the rest of the support cast do a superb job and however and my only complaint be that some character could have be explore more to make the plot and closure a little more complicated . for example and i would have love to see what would have happen if jack thursby have develop a more intimate relationship with his second wife . overall and this be a cleverly develop cloak and dagger story that keep you guess to the very end about personal and professional loyalty and whether anyone in the entire film can be trust . with a smart and stylish soundtrack and great camera work and this film provide a scary look at how corporation might operate in the near future . i be surprised that i have never watch this hidden gem before . this be a brilliant and not too overly complicate spy thriller and and therefore i be give it a positive .