THE RECRUIT

Starring:
Al Pacino
Colin Farrell
Bridget Moynahan
and Gabriel Macht

Director:
Roger Donaldson

Running Time:
115 mins

MIT graduate James Clayton (Farrell) has all the major IT companies headhunting him but his interest is peaked by CIA recruiter Walter Burke (Pacino). He sees James as perfect material for The Company and sends him to "The Farm", the CIA's training school. Here he is taught all the skills he needs to succeed in espionage and he is told that everything is a test.

Hollywood flavour of the month Colin Farrell has another attempt to live up to his "Next Big Thing" tag and delivers a glossy, by the numbers thriller.

The Recruit is standard Hollywood thriller fare. Its twisty, turny plot throws up no real surprises but does just enough to keep you interested until the big reveal at the end. You do however get the feeling that everyone involved is on autopilot, as there doesn't seem to be a lot of passion in the piece.

This reflects in the performances. Colin Farrell proves again that his is an actor to watch as he brings more to the role than any other actor might have with this slightly underwritten lead. He alone stops the movie from becoming average as he is always watchable and is growing into a great character actor. Al Pacino is on autopilot and you can't help thinking that he did this film solely for the money. He does his trademark loud shouts and rants and brings nothing new to the role but even an average Pacino is more watchable than most actors working today. Bridget Moynahan is also ok in her role, bring more to character than what could have been just the love interest.

Roger Donaldson, who provided tension and historical intrigue with Thirteen Days, seems also to be playing it by the numbers. We know he can produce a great twisty, turny thriller (Just watch No Way Out) but The Recruit, while still good, doesn't have any great revelations that you won't see coming.

All in all this is a thriller by numbers that proves that Colin Farrell is an actor to watch and Al Pacino can be good even when he just turns up for the money. This is a good popcorn movie plain and simple, anyone expecting anymore might be little disappointed.

NOT AVAILABLE


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2003