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Our Kind of Traitor (2016) movie poster

Plot Summary

Our Kind of Traitor (2016) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 108 min · English
JustWatch #13,767 9
Directed by
Susanna White

While on holiday in Marrakech, a young British couple, Perry and Gail, meet a charismatic Russian man, Dima. Unbeknownst to them, Dima is laundering money for the Russian mafia. He asks them to help him, entrusting them with sensitive information that plunges them into a dangerous world of espionage and deceit. They embark on a perilous journey across Europe, facing ruthless agents and uncovering shocking truths as they try to stay one step ahead.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 The book behind the movie
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like Our Kind of Traitor
  7. 7 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Our Kind of Traitor (2016)

Where can you watch Our Kind of Traitor? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Our Kind of Traitor: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Our Kind of Traitor (2016) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

In a gripping tale of deceit and danger, The Prince, the fearsome leader of the Russian Mafia, orchestrates a money laundering scheme by establishing a new bank in London, compelling financial oligarchs to transfer their accounts to him. The dark web of intrigue thickens when the first oligarch and his family are brutally eliminated by a chilling blue-eyed assassin.

While vacationing in Morocco, Perry MacKendrick strikes up an unlikely friendship with the vibrant Russian, Dima, known for his exceptional eidetic memory. Their camaraderie flourishes over drinks and tennis, leading Dima to invite the MacKendrick family to his daughter's birthday party. It is here that Dima hands over a USB drive containing explosive information, linking corrupt British politicians and businessmen to the menacing Russian mafia. In a desperate plea for safety, Dima urges Perry to deliver this evidence to MI6 upon returning to London.

Perry heedfully presents the drive to MI6 agent Hector, who is tasked with probing the allegations. Dima's intel enables Hector and his superior, Billy, to witness a covert meeting involving the Prince and the unscrupulous politician, Aubrey Longrigg. Their plans hit a snag, however, as Hector has a personal vendetta against Longrigg, believing he was behind the police's tip-off about his son's drug activities. Consequently, Billy balks at authorizing an investigation. Undeterred, Hector persuades Perry and Gail to rendezvous with Dima in France, where tensions rise as Dima divulges the identities of his clients, confirming they each received a staggering £5 million endorsement for the newly fledged bank—Longrigg, however, stands out with a hefty £20 million payout. Dima stands firm, refusing to share the bank account numbers until he secures asylum for his family in London.

As the stakes escalate, Emilio, the Prince's cunning consigliere, begins to suspect the MacKendricks. He sends his ruthless henchman Niki to intimidate them in a hostile neighborhood. During a tense moment, Perry intervenes when Niki attacks a woman, rekindling the bond with his wife, Gail, which had been strained by Perry's previous infidelity. Amidst the chaos, Hector reveals the true scope of the operation: working with only two men and funding it from his own pocket. The plan involves capturing Dima and his family right after they sign over their accounts to the bank. Gail heroically manages to rescue Dima’s wife and children, while Perry ensures Dima's safety.

As they prepare for their flight back to London, a dire message from Billy hits Hector; Longrigg has swayed the Home Office to deny Dima's family asylum. Despite Hector's withdrawal, the MacKendricks stand firm, refusing to abandon Dima and his loved ones.

Relocating to a safe house in the serene French Alps, they find themselves under siege when Dima's daughter reaches out to her bodyguard, Andrei, leading to a horrifying attack. Dima and the agents fend off the blue-eyed assassin, but the vicious confrontation escalates into a life-and-death struggle in the forest, culminating in Perry's timely intervention that allows Dima to exact his revenge.

Back in London, Hector persuades the Treasury Office of the Prince's nefarious bank operations masking a laundering scheme, ensuring Dima and his family find refuge. A plan unfolds to transfer Dima to London via helicopter, contingent upon him recalling the key details from memory. Dima’s life experiences and the attacks on his family ignite an urgency in him to flee, as Perry voluntarily offers to accompany him.

In a suspenseful turn, Dima implores Perry to stay behind as they approach the helicopter rendezvous. Tragically, fate takes a sinister twist as the helicopter explodes over the Alps, taking with it Dima and Hector's agent, while the Prince’s bank triumphantly launches in London, with Longrigg patted on the back as the new Minister for Trade and Industry.

In the aftermath of the chaos, Dima's family is granted asylum, thanks to Hector’s intervention as restitution for Dima's sorrowful demise. Perry, left with a parting gift from Dima, accepts an ornate pistol given to him at the signing of the accounts. Upon further inspection, Hector discovers a hidden message from Dima within the pistol’s chamber, a list containing the names and account numbers of the corrupt Britons, leaving him with the weighted burden of Dima’s legacy.

Last updated: November 08, 2024 at 03:30

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Plot questions answered

Our Kind of Traitor Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Our Kind of Traitor (2016): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why did Dima trust Perry and Gail with the sensitive USB drive?

Dima chose Perry and Gail because he had observed them during his vacation in Morocco and recognized them as a trustworthy British couple. Dima, having an exceptional eidetic memory, needed someone who could safely deliver the evidence to MI6 without raising suspicion. He specifically selected them because they were ordinary tourists with no obvious connections to intelligence services, making them ideal messengers to slip the information past the Russian mafia's surveillance.

Foreshadowing: Dima's careful observation of the couple during their tennis games and social interactions hinted at his deliberate selection process.

  • dima
  • perry
  • gail
  • usb drive
  • trust
  • mi6
  • morocco
Q2

What was Hector's personal vendetta against Aubrey Longrigg?

Hector believed that Longrigg was responsible for tipping off the police about his son's drug activities, which led to his son's arrest. This personal betrayal made Hector emotionally compromised when investigating Longrigg's corruption, causing his superior Billy to hesitate authorizing the investigation. Hector's desire to bring down Longrigg was fueled by revenge rather than pure professional duty.

Foreshadowing: Early in the investigation, Hector's intense personal interest in Longrigg's activities signaled his emotional involvement.

  • hector
  • aubrey longrigg
  • vendetta
  • mi6
  • corruption
Q3

Why was Dima's family denied asylum in the UK?

Aubrey Longrigg, the corrupt politician on Dima's list, used his influence to sway the Home Office into denying Dima's family asylum. As the newly appointed Minister for Trade and Industry, Longrigg had enough political power to block the family's safe passage to London, directly threatening Dima's leverage in the negotiations.

Foreshadowing: The revelation that Longrigg received a £20 million payout, significantly more than other oligarchs, highlighted his deep involvement and motivation to protect himself.

  • dima family
  • asylum denial
  • home office
  • aubrey longrigg
  • political corruption
Q4

Why did the helicopter explode in Our Kind of Traitor?

The helicopter was deliberately destroyed, likely by the Prince's forces, to prevent Dima from reaching London and testifying against the Russian mafia's operation. The explosion killed Dima and one of Hector's agents while they were in flight over the Alps, ensuring Dima's damaging knowledge about the bank accounts and corrupt politicians would never be revealed in court.

Foreshadowing: The mounting pressure from the Prince's organization to eliminate Dima before he could testify foreshadowed the fatal attack.

  • helicopter explosion
  • dima death
  • alps
  • assassination
  • prince
Q5

Why did Dima ask Perry to stay behind before the helicopter?

Dima asked Perry to stay behind because he knew the extraction was extremely dangerous and likely a trap. Having survived multiple assassination attempts, Dima understood the Prince's reach. He likely wanted to protect Perry from the obvious danger ahead while also ensuring that if the mission failed, someone trustworthy would remain to help his family and continue the fight against the corrupt system.

Foreshadowing: Dima's growing caution throughout the film, especially after the attack in the Alps, reflected his awareness of the escalating danger.

  • dima
  • perry
  • helicopter
  • sacrifice
  • final scene
Q6

Who was the blue-eyed assassin working for?

The blue-eyed assassin was sent by the Prince, the leader of the Russian mafia, to eliminate anyone who threatened to expose the money laundering operation. He was responsible for the initial brutal murder of the oligarch who resisted the Prince's scheme, and later pursued Dima and his family throughout Europe to ensure the evidence never reached authorities.

Foreshadowing: The cold, methodical nature of the assassinations established early in the film set the tone for the Prince's ruthless operations.

  • blue-eyed assassin
  • prince
  • russian mafia
  • oligarch murder
Q7

What was the hidden message inside the pistol Dima gave Perry?

Hidden inside the pistol's chamber was a list containing the names and account numbers of the corrupt British politicians and businessmen who had been money laundering through the Prince's bank. Dima had memorized this information due to his eidetic memory and encoded it as a failsafe, giving Perry the evidence needed to expose the corruption even after Dima's death.

Foreshadowing: Dima's exceptional memory was established early, making this hidden cache a logical narrative payoff.

  • pistol
  • hidden message
  • dima
  • evidence
  • corrupt politicians
  • account numbers
Q8

How did Perry and Gail's relationship improve during the crisis?

Perry's intervention to save a woman from Niki's attack demonstrated his courage and moral character, rekindling Gail's respect and love for him. The life-threatening circumstances forced them to rely on each other, repairing the bond that had been strained by Perry's previous infidelity. Working together to help Dima's family gave them a shared purpose that strengthened their marriage.

Foreshadowing: Early tension between Perry and Gail was evident, setting up their reconciliation through his heroic action.

  • perry
  • gail
  • relationship
  • infidelity
  • reconciliation
  • niki
Q9

Why did the Prince's bank still succeed despite being exposed?

Despite Dima's evidence and Hector's efforts, the Prince's bank launched successfully in London because the corruption ran too deep. Longrigg became the Minister for Trade and Industry, effectively protecting the operation. The system was too entrenched to collapse quickly, leaving the Prince's money laundering scheme intact even as some details became public.

Foreshadowing: The film established early on how deeply connected the Russian mafia was to British political and financial institutions.

  • prince bank
  • money laundering
  • london
  • corruption
  • longrigg
Q10

What happened to Aubrey Longrigg at the end of the film?

Despite being exposed as a corrupt politician receiving a £20 million payout from the Prince's bank, Aubrey Longrigg suffered no consequences. He was appointed Minister for Trade and Industry in London, effectively being rewarded for his involvement in the money laundering scheme. The corrupt system remained intact, and Longrigg escaped accountability.

Foreshadowing: Longrigg's ability to manipulate the Home Office to deny Dima's family asylum demonstrated his continued political power.

  • aubrey longrigg
  • minister
  • corruption
  • political career
  • consequences
Q11

Why did Hector withdraw from the operation?

Hector withdrew after learning that Longrigg had successfully influenced the Home Office to deny Dima's family asylum. With his superior Billy pulling support and the political deck stacked against them, Hector felt the operation was compromised. However, he later worked behind the scenes to ensure Dima's family received asylum as restitution for Dima's death.

Foreshadowing: Billy's earlier hesitation to authorize the investigation foreshadowed the institutional obstacles they would face.

  • hector
  • withdrawal
  • mission
  • billy
  • mi6
  • longrigg
Q12

What was the significance of Dima's eidetic memory in the plot?

Dima's exceptional eidetic memory was crucial because it allowed him to memorize all the account numbers and client names involved in the Prince's money laundering scheme. Rather than carrying physical evidence that could be intercepted, he became the living database. This knowledge made him invaluable to both MI6 and the Prince, ultimately driving the assassins to pursue him relentlessly.

Foreshadowing: Dima's memory was mentioned early when introducing his character, establishing its narrative importance.

  • dima
  • eidetic memory
  • account numbers
  • evidence
  • memorization

Movie threads

More Movies Like Our Kind of Traitor, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Our Kind of Traitor tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about amateur spies like Our Kind of Traitor

Ordinary people plunged into dangerous international conspiracies. Find more films like Our Kind of Traitor where ordinary people get entangled in espionage. This list includes similar high-stakes thrillers about civilians forced to navigate a world of spies, corruption, and danger, often while fighting to protect their loved ones.

  • tense
  • anxious
  • high-stakes
  • paranoid
  • desperate
  • suspenseful
  • Tone: tense, anxious, paranoid
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically begins with an accidental encounter or a seemingly innocent favor that pulls an average person into a treacherous plot. Their journey involves being hunted by powerful, shadowy forces, learning who to trust, and making difficult moral compromises. The story is defined by a constant race against time, with the protagonists' survival hanging by a thread.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared premise of 'the wrong person in the wrong place,' creating a relatable and nerve-wracking experience. They share a tense, paranoid mood, fast pacing driven by pursuit, and a heavy emotional weight stemming from the vulnerability of the protagonists.

Thrillers about moral compromise like Our Kind of Traitor

Characters forced into ethical gray areas under extreme pressure. If you liked the ethical dilemmas in Our Kind of Traitor, explore these movies with similar themes of moral compromise. These tense, high-stakes stories feature characters making difficult choices under pressure, navigating betrayal and corruption in a dangerous world.

  • tense
  • gritty
  • heavy
  • suspenseful
  • desperate
  • anxious
  • Tone: tense, heavy, gritty
  • Pacing: fast, driven by consequences
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows characters who enter a morally ambiguous situation, often with good intentions, but are quickly forced to compromise their ethics. The journey involves a series of escalating compromises, confrontations with corruption, and a struggle to retain some semblance of integrity, frequently leading to a bittersweet or pyrrhic victory.

Why they belong together: These films are connected by their exploration of morality under duress. They share a consistently tense tone, heavy emotional weight from the consequences of difficult choices, and often feature gritty, high-stakes settings where trust is a liability.

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Every angle

Our Kind of Traitor (2016) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Our Kind of Traitor in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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