Men in Black

A closer look at the story

Men in Black follows a New York police officer whose life is turned upside down by one strange pursuit. After chasing down a being that is clearly not of this world, he is invited to join a highly classified organisation known as the Men in Black. Its job is to keep track of alien activity on Earth and keep it under control; its agents operate in total secrecy and always dress in black. The seasoned Agent K and the newly recruited Agent J are soon caught up in a lethal conspiracy. An intergalactic terrorist has arrived on the planet intending to murder two ambassadors sent by rival galaxies, and the two agents have to stop him in time. Barry Sonnenfeld directed this 98-minute science-fiction comedy from 1997, written by Ed Solomon. Tommy Lee Jones plays Agent K and Will Smith plays Agent J, with Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio and Rip Torn rounding out the cast.