The Operative

As if eleven years in the toughest prison in a Soviet labor camp weren't enough, ex-CIA agent Alec Carville is forced to commit a crime after returning to his hometown of Boston by the Russian mafia, which has incriminating material against him. Carville is to steal a valuable painting from a bank. Clever as they are, the Russian mobsters have taken advantage of the strange coincidence that Carville bears a striking resemblance to the owner of the painting, the eccentric young millionaire Grady. However, the mafia's meticulous preparations fail in one - crucial - respect: they did not expect Grady and Carville to meet in the bank, but they do. As a result, total chaos breaks out...

Directed by Robert Lee, The Operative leans on a strong ensemble — Brian Bosworth, John Tench, Rachel Hayward — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about action titles of 2001.