Review of The Good Shepherd (2006) by Tommyf. — 01 Jan 2007

A chilling tableau and a precisely revealing movie "The Good Shepherd" is not for those who want to experience action. This is a thinking man's perspective on the establishment of the CIA out of the OSS - created for international counterintelligence during WWII.

The film is experienced much like reading a Kazuo Ishiguro novel (Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go) composed of carefully fragile pieces of character and circumstance leading to its conclusion more through experience and observation than through explanation.

Far from a Bond's movie or Damon's own Bourne franchise, the intrigue is played out like a chess game based on political maneuvers, power plays and most of all the manipulation of human behavior.

Although Damon plays a cold hearted silent and stoic agent he delivers an incredibly effective performance through the smallest of gestures and expressions; his eyes are our window to his soul which, almost without human form, is at war with itself as much as the U.

S and Russia are in its own cold war. Damon creates a character unlike any I have ever seen on screen; at the same time that he is us and we see the world and our responsibilities through him we revile him and are chilled to the bone by his stare.

He is the ideological good guy and the practical bad guy wrapped up in one serving as the story's political metaphor for our Country's sad and confusing condition of unintended consequences.

In fine execution of understated British acting, Billy Crudup (?) as Damon's mentor shows us that the espionage game is for young men and John Turturro creates a rich and believable character with just enough weakness to show us the moral consequences that an average man's actions can cause if he is willing to follow without questioning in the name of the State.

The visual references of his behavior to the conflict in Iraq is not the least bit subtle. It is good to see William Hurt back in fine form and small parts by Joe Pesce and DiNiro himself are excellent in adding to the fabric of the movie.

Finally, although Jolie has received praise for her work in the film I did not find that she created any particular depth of character although, to be fair, the role is superfluous to the movie. This is not a Robert Stone movie.

It is a deep, sensitive, philosophical inquiry into the political, moral, and human aspects of espionage.