The revolutionary push of autumn 1956 has been stifled and Hungary is enveloped in an atmosphere of fear and snooping. And so young Agent Jung, outwardly posing as a private teacher, undergoes a test of loyalty administered by his superior and friend Markó. Living and working in an environment where the spies themselves are spied upon demands a fair amount of vigilance and an ability to make quick judgments, which contributes not only to the sustained tension but also to the dynamics of an otherwise small-scale film. At first glance, this classic story of a tragic phase in Hungarian history fluctuates between a generic mix, a personal drama, and a documentary of period conditions. These latter are portrayed with an emphasis on secret police practices without, of course, overlooking the intimate dimension that cannot be separated from even the most abstruse totalitarian practices. And so colleagues and friends stand against one another, and one of these two relationships will have to give way. Which will it be? And why can’t things be like they were before?