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The Recruit (Movie Review)
("B+
--
Plot conscious, smart, and suspenseful")
by
Craig Younkin
The Recruit is the year’s first big surprise. I wasn't quite
expecting to be blown away by a film this early in the year
but The Recruit proves me wrong. |
This is a film with
an A-game cast, more than enough suspense, and a plot that is
unexpectedly funny and smart. The script, by a trio of
writers, is so good that it twists, turns, and does
somersaults as it keeps you guessing all the way up to its
very strong finale.
The plot revolves around James Clayton (Colin Farrell), a
student at the top of his class at MIT who is given an
opportunity by Walter Burke (Al Pacino), a C.I.A recruiter
interested in James. Burke has done his homework on James; he
knows his strengths, but also knows his weaknesses. One
weakness that allows Burke to get through to James right away
is James' interest in the disappearance of his father, whom
Burke claims he knew. Thirsty for more information, James
decides to join.
Before he knows it, James is brought to The Farm, a C.I.A
training facility in Langley that puts all recruits through
rigorous tests. It is here that he meets Layla (Bridget
Moynahan), a lovely young recruit who understands his.
Consequently, she becomes the reason for his dismissal from
The Farm, or was he dismissed at all?
But as Burke says many times, "nothing is what it seems."
There are two new discoveries that Burke brings to the table
later on, one that reinstates James into the C.I.A and another
that makes Layla a possible mole. This is where the script
gets a little silly, but the cat and mouse game that ensues
between James and Layla really starts to get juicy as the
flick goes on. What I love about this script is that you never
quite know if Burke is pitting James against Layla for another
test or because he has another alternative. Whatever it is, it
becomes more and more fun to watch as it continues to spin out
of control.
Colin Farrell plays James with great emotion. Farrell
understands that what makes this character compelling is that
we never quite know whether or not the guy is operating with
the right information, and he nails that, conveying a
character whose being spun around to the point of confusion.
His dizzying performance is perfectly matched with Moynahan's
much calmer and in-control presence. But the real genius here
is Pacino, who never unmasks his character’s full intentions
until the very end. Pacino once again plays the master
manipulator and he does it with a lot of confidence. This is
one of the best performances I've seen from him in a long
time.
My hope is that I haven't given too much of this film a way
because it is really too good to spoil. It's not every day, or
every beginning of the year that you get a film that is so
plot conscious, smart, and suspenseful. The Recruit is all
those things and more. It is guaranteed to keep you guessing
till the very end.
Grade: B+
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