Review of The Good Shepherd (2006) by Timoteuszd — 19 Dec 2009
I didn't think much of it the first time I saw it. Slow, dull, too subdued, and the protagonist was quite un-dynamic. Then I watched it again, alone, and I was bowled over by the brilliance and craftsmanship of this movie.
The fellow who apparently wanted a spy thriller with beautiful women and lots of action is faulting this movie for being different from what he wanted. He should realize that this is a different genre of film from e.
G. James Bond. This movie concerns the formation of a U.S. bureaucrat in the spy business, from college to middle age. The performances are all unbelievably perfect. Damon is subdued to the point of monotony, but on the second viewing you realize that that is the point.
The U.S. spy industry is not full of derring-do but bureaucrats who have to put their work in front of their family and their souls. That is the point of the movie: the trade-offs that Damon must make.
It is beautiful, sad, poignant, and in fact a perfect film. Highly recommended for a contemplative viewer who likes details and careful puzzling over clues, words, and gestures, as in a serious Soderbergh film.
This review of The Good Shepherd (2006) was written by Timoteuszd on 19 Dec 2009.
The Good Shepherd has generally received positive reviews.
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