I am going to resist regurgitating the IMDB synopsis of what this movie was about as I barely remember it so I will just try to share my thoughts. Be warned, I am no longer able to watch movies with the same focus I did during my uni years. I can't seem to dedicate my attention to just watching a film. I am always in between a chore or sometimes scrolling on my phone.
The film opens up in somewhere in France during "the war" and Meryl's character is a brit working for her government in efforts against the war. I don't think they ever say what her position is, but I got the idea she fills whatever role is needed so it wouldn't feel correct to call her spy (not in the way you normally think of a spy I guess) but some of the work she was called upon to do was "covert". Perhaps the hesitation in calling her a spy is because the title of "spy" may evoke ideas of selflessness, dogged determination for a cause, slight fanaticism and violent bravery that is characteristic of a substance abuser (probably whiskey). Meryl's character, Susan, is not any of those things. She seems self-absorbed and too interested in her own pleasure during these times. Worse yet she betrays what can be described as "British sensibility"- being cold and unfeeling no matter the circumstances. She gives way to her emotions easily and there is a scene where she cries because she felt scared and angry after she and her companion are chased by armed forces. She gives in to her impulses which tends to result in her giving impassioned speeches during boring work meetings and deciding to have a baby with a man who (has fallen in love with her but that) doesn't love. But of course, as we all now know, the war ends and she has to go back to a society that won't countenance an errant woman spouting political rhetoric and shacking up with just anybody. Logically and without fuss she decides to marry a colleague (?) I like to think that she thought her moxie would save her from the tragedy of domestic life but she is wrong. She struggles to play the role of the supporting wife and meddles in her husband's political career by... you know... giving her opinion in front of his colleagues . The husband isn't a bad sort, in fact I thought he was devoted to her but they both live in this society and sometimes putting your head down and going along is the only way to survive. Yes, she doesn't think of the consequences of her actions on others but how can we not feel for someone who can't accept her assigned place as a heavily medicated housewife? A very complicated character and who is right (I really do agree with her on most things) but very easy to hate because as a seemingly wealthy (white) British woman, what is she complaining about? Her troubles seem petty and like a childish longing for the past (ehem... the war). No honey, we can't stay in France and play war games forever, at some point you have to go home and play "house" instead.
I don't recall this ever being explicitly discussed by the characters in the film, but the question begs, why was it more acceptable for her to work abroad in potentially life-threatening situations but when she returns home to the UK the idea of her continuing with the work is not even thought of? Not even by her? Maybe somewhere between going to the bathroom or cleaning the kitchen I missed that scene.
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