The Recruit
Is there anyone who hasn't wondered about the inner workings of the CIA? The secret behind-the-scenes meetings, the international intrigue, the covert operations, the dangerous assignments. It's enough to pique the interest of just about anyone with a sense for adventure. The Recruit, directed by Roger Donaldson (Thirteen Days), takes you inside that world.
The Recruit stars Colin Farrell (Minority Report) as James Clayton, a hotshot computer programmer who bartends and works out a lot on the side. Walter Burke (Al Pacino), a recruiter for the CIA who claims he's a "scary judge of talent," wants the handsome James to come join the CIA. As bait, he dangles some information about James' long-lost father, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances about a decade earlier.
James agrees to give it a shot and enrolls in a CIA training class, where a gorgeous fellow trainee named Layla (Bridget Moynahan) quickly catches his eye -- and vice versa. During class exercises, the two are repeatedly paired off and squared up against one another. Then, Walter drops a bomb on James: Layla is a spy who's infiltrated the CIA, and he wants James to use his relationship with her to find out her assignment and who's she's working for. As you might imagine, this assignment is a lot more complex than it sounds, for -- as Walter notes -- "nothing is what it seems."
One of the film's more interesting aspects is the questions it raises about deceit and trust. In a scene early in the film, Walter tells the trainees that CIA employees don't get big money, fame or even laid a lot for their efforts. They're committed to the job because they believe in a distinct line between right and wrong. The irony is that once you've gone through CIA training, you're so attuned to lying and cheating that it's tough to have that black-and-white belief in anything. Essentially, you're always looking through the looking glass.
Colin Farrell, with his charisma, good looks and acting promise (he drew rave reviews for the little-seen Tigerland), has been labeled a star-in-the-making for quite a while now. In The Recruit, he's perfectly cast as a cocksure young man who knows few can match his combination of looks and intelligence. Moynahan has the "skills" to prove a good romantic foil for Farrell, and she just might have some star potential as well. Pacino, as the cagey CIA veteran, is solid if unspectacular, essentially playing the same Pacino character he's played in most of his movies during the last decade. Whether you consider that a positive or negative will largely depend on your own personal preferences.
The Recruit doesn't break any new ground, and it's unlikely this film will be remembered much five years from now. After reaching a new career peak with Thirteen Days, director Donaldson retreats a bit with this film. Still, as a solid popcorn thriller, The Recruit definitely delivers. It serves up some suspenseful twists and turns, a solid romance angle, and a few good action sequences. Amidst the barrage of lame offerings hitting the theaters this time of year (Kangaroo Jack, anyone?), that should be enough to convince you to check it out.
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In one notable scene, Farrell drowns his sorrow in an impressive number of alcoholic beverages.
The romantic sparks flying between hotties Farrell and Moyahan may help send similar sparks flying between you and your mate.
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