Some spy thrillers are as scrupulously functional as their protagonists. “The Operative,” directed by Yuval Adler, doesn’t offer much distinctive, but it does deliver a few suspenseful sequences, some interesting nuts-and-bolts details of espionage work and a good lead performance en route to an unsatisfying ending.

The intrigue begins when Thomas (Martin Freeman), who worked for the Mossad, receives an unexpected call from Rachel (Diane Kruger), a former operative he used to handle. What she is up to and why the Mossad trusted her — her international upbringing and loose ties to Israel made her a valuable asset, even as they threw her loyalties into question — come under the microscope.