THE GOOD SHEPHERD

 

"Welcome to the CIA"

When Yale graduate Edward Wilson (Damon) is recruited into the fledgling Office of Strategic Services, OSS, at the end of the Second World War by General Bill Sullivan (De Niro), he enters a world of secrets and espionage. As a new enemy replaces the Nazi menace, a new government agency to gather intelligence is needed and the CIA is formed but as Edward becomes more and more involved in his work, this family sees less and less of him.

When one of the greatest actors in the history of cinema decides to step behind the camera for the second time you are bound to take notice but can this story of the formation of the CIA offer any intrigue?

Having not stepped behind the camera since his impressive debut in 1993 with 'A Bronx Tale', Robert De Niro brings us a story of espionage at the highest level as he reveals how the CIA came to be. After years of research with writer Eric Roth, De Niro's look at the beginning of the Cold War has all the making of a classic but instead you have a movie that is overlong and slightly predictable.

Taking place in the 1960s and also told in flashback, we meet Edward Wilson, a Yale graduate recruited into the OSS and who later become a pivotal player in the setting up of the Central Intelligence Agency. Set just after the failed 'Bay of Pigs' incident in Cuba, the main emphasis of the plot follows Wilson's investigation into how leaked the details of the operation to the Cubans. While investigating, Wilson's life and career in the OSS/CIA is revealed in flashback, outlining his contribution to the war effort, this first missions and his movement up the ranks. It also shows his personal life, his lost love and the relationship with his family. Most of this keeps your interest throughout but it is never as engaging or compelling as it should have been.

The problem stems from the casting. Matt Damon is a gifted actor who can turn his hand to many a different character but as a CIA operative, he just doesn't cut it. He is a little too all-American to be taken seriously as a key player in the espionage game and never seems to look any older even when the film takes place over a twenty year period. Of course he throws everything into his performance but he just doesn't seem right for the part. The rest of the cast is very good however. Angelina Jolie is as good as ever as Edward's neglected wife Margaret. Alec Baldwin and William Hurt bring a little class to the roles of FBI Agent Murach and CIA assistant director Phillip Allen. Throw in brief cameos by Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro himself as General Bill Sullivan and you have a powerhouse supporting cast that only someone like Robert De Niro could assemble.

Overlong and slightly predictable, 'The Good Shepherd' is a good movie but not a great one. Visually stunning and with a great attention to detail, Robert De Niro shows again that he is a gifted filmmaker as well as an astounding actor. Fascinating in parts but the most suffers from a lack of intrigue and that is what spy dramas should be all about.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 with Dolby Digital 5.1, the movie is presented well.

BONUS FEATURES

Deleted Scenes (15.58 mins)
Entitled 'John comes home', 'Edward and Sam at the train station', 'Edward confronts John', 'Edward asks Valentin to play the violin', 'John enters the embassy', 'Edward and Clover fight', 'Ulysses is trying to tell us something' and 'Edward and Ray pack up the Office', these deleted or alternative scenes suffer from the lack of a commentary track or introduction to review why they were not used.

Trailers
Previews of 'Smokin' Aces', 'Hot Fuzz' and 'Children of Men'

OVERALL

With the lack of a commentary track or featurettes, fans of 'The Good Shepherd' will be very disappointed at the DVD treatment of the film. This is a subject matter that was crying out for supplementary material, especially with all the historical context that the movie draws from.

DVD

A Bronx Tale

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2007