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The Good Shepherd (2006)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 1/26

GoodSheph
1/26: Remember The FBI Story starring James Stewart?

There's now one for the CIA. One reviewer incorrectly described The Good Shepherd as The Godfather of CIA movies. The feel is more of Part II. Matt Damon is Michael Corleone. It's all about power. Throughout the film are tests of loyalty, and he eventually becomes disillusioned with the whole thing.

Two negatives will be constantly harped on: the film is too long and it's emotionally vacant. That's true. Potential viewers are better off breaking down their time in a few sittings. On the second count, it's why Francis Ford Coppola ultimately left the project. The tone is rather muted with zero action commonly found in James Bond pictures and their ilk. Hence, The Good Shepherd is closer to the works of Graham Greene and John le Carré.

For the second and final film of his directorial career, Robert De Niro is very attentive to details and gets some of the facts about the CIA correct early on, but this is mostly a fictional account of one person who never existed. Even the Cuban Missile Crisis isn't touched upon. Nor is the JFK assassination afterwards. Regardless, it's a well-shot picture, taking advantage of Robert Richardson's expertise, and the nonlinear story moves along with a lot of codespeak.

Although rarely impressed with his overall body of work, I have to say that Matt Damon turns in an exceptional performance. The cast is terrific on paper: William Hurt, Alec Baldwin, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Timothy Hutton, Michael Gambon, John Turturro, Billy Crudup, and so on. But all are cameo appearances or don't have a fully developed character. Angelina Jolie is very much so miscast and shouldn't have been involved in the first place. In fact, she doesn't belong in period pictures that take place prior to the 80's and is at best a cockteaser, having first done it in George Wallace and lost total credibility thereafter.

All in all, those who prefer The Quiet American and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold will find The Good Shepherd a pleasant espionage film to relax with.