'The Recruit' draws in audiences
January 30, 2003
Since Sept. 11, 2001, the CIA has faced increased scrutiny. As a result, the CIA has opened its doors to the media like never before through shows like The Agency and the new psychological thriller, The Recruit.
The Recruit begins with James Clayton (Colin Farrell) on the verge of graduating from MIT. After graduation, Walter Burke (Al Pacino), a CIA recruiter, approaches him and recruits him for the CIA. Clayton enters CIA training, where he meets Layla Moore (Bridget Moynahan).
The two connect immediately, and Burke uses this connection against them during training. Both Clayton and Layla receive jobs within the CIA. Soon, they are being played against each other in a contest that threatens the country.
Pacino plays Burke with the distinct lack of intensity expected of a former CIA operative who merely trains the next generation.
Irishman Farrell expands on the success of last summer's Minority Report, not only perfecting his American accent, but also playing the naive Clayton with just the right amount of confusion.
The only apparent flaw in this movie is its predictable ending. While individual plot twists may shock the audience, an attentive person -- with some knowledge of the genre -- can predict the ending.
Despite the flaw, The Recruit remains a strong film, driven by exceptional performances by Pacino and Farrell. It also provides a rare look inside the training grounds of the country's greatest spies, a concept that, by itself, is worth the price of admission.
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