A Surprise Direction
The most unexpected thing about the film is how it doesn’t serve as a rah-rah cartwheeling cheerleader for the CIA. In fact, the film offers understated but nonetheless bold critiques of the agency. From the undemocratic influence of a highly secretive “old boy” network to the typical political environment filled with lust for power and a desire to smash enemies real and imagined, there’s some heavy stuff to think about. An obvious question is, who watches the watchers? But the film really asks, who holds their leash?
However robust Robert De Niro’s direction is in exploring the question, though, narcolepsy is its Achille’s heel. “The Good Shepherd” clocks in at over two and a half hours, almost falling asleep at times but successfully sustaining interest until finally taking off in a sprint in the film’s finale. Even the cast is low-energy, with Michael Gambon providing some of the most understated but powerful emotions until the cast catches up, again finally, in the film’s finale. But slow and steady wins the race, they say, and that’s as good a verdict as any on the winning “The Good Shepherd.”
Technical Quality: ** (out of two)
The Good Shepherd. Written by Eric Roth. Directed by Robert De Niro. Starring Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Michael Gambon, and Billy Crudup.
