Okay, "The Russia House" - Did Anyone Else Find This Confusing?

So, the girls and I finally got around to watching "The Russia House" last night. I'd heard it was a decent Cold War spy thriller, and I'm a sucker for Sean Connery, tbh. But I gotta say, I was a little lost? Like, Barley Scott Blair (great name, btw) goes from being a random publisher to basically a super-spy overnight based on... some manuscripts? I get the whole 'dissident scientist wants to expose secrets' thing, but the motives felt kinda murky. And what was the deal with Katya? Michelle Pfeiffer was amazing, obviously, but her relationship with Barley felt so rushed and... convenient? I never really bought into the whole 'instant connection' thing. Maybe I'm just cynical, haha. I loved the Prague/Russia settings, though, very atmospheric and definitely added to the tension. Overall, I enjoyed it, I just think it could have been a little more clear about why everyone was doing what they were doing. I mean, Dante seemed genuinely scared but beyond that it kinda lacked definition. I was expecting more of a "ticking clock" thriller, and less of a "vaguely melancholy characters looking lost in Europe" vibe. Did anyone else feel the same? Or am I just missing something obvious. I'm wondering if the book maybe explained things better? Also, quick aside--that scene where Barley's talking to Ned in the bar and Ned just seems completely over everything? That felt REAL. Like, I've totally been there with burnout, lol. Okay, rant over! Let me know your thoughts!