MOVIE REVIEW

Recruit, The  (2003)

Starring: Al Pacino, Colin Farrell
Director: Roger Donaldson

Rating: PG-13

Studio: Touchstone Pictures

Review Posted: 2.23.03

Spoilers: Major

By Craig Younkin

"Recruit Will Keep You Guessing Until the End"

The Recruit is the year’s first big surprise. I wasn't quite expecting to be blown away by a film this early in the year, but The Recruit proved me wrong. This is a film with an A-game cast, more than enough suspense, and a plot that is unexpectedly funny and smart. The script, by a trio of writers, is so good that it twists, turns, and does somersaults as it keeps you guessing all the way up to its very strong finale.

The plot revolves around James Clayton (Colin Farrell), a student at the top of his class at MIT who is given an opportunity by Walter Burke (Al Pacino), a C.I.A recruiter interested in James. Burke has done his homework on James. He knows his strengths, but also knows his weaknesses. One weakness that allows Burke to get through to James right away is James' interest in the disappearance of his father, whom Burke claims he knew. Thirsty for more information, James decides to join.

Before he knows it, James is brought to The Farm, a C.I.A training facility in Langley that puts all recruits through rigorous tests. It is there that he meets Layla (Bridget Moynahan), a lovely young recruit who understands his affections, and uses them to get the best of him in training workouts. Consequently, she becomes the reason for his dismissal from The Farm, or was he dismissed at all?

But as Burke says many times, "nothing is what it seems". There are two new discoveries that Burke brings to the table later on, one that reinstates James into the C.I.A and another that makes Layla a possible mole. This is where the script gets a little silly, but the cat and mouse game that ensues between James and Layla really starts to get juicy as the flick goes on. What I love about this script is that you never quite know if Burke is pitting James against Layla for another test or because he has another alternative. Whatever it is, it becomes more and more fun to watch as it continues to spin out of control.

Colin Farrell plays James with great emotion. Farrell understands that what makes this character compelling is that we never quite know whether or not the guy is operating with the right information, and he nails that, conveying a character whose being spun around to the point of confusion. His dizzying performance is perfectly matched with Moynahan's much calmer and in-control presence.

But the real genius here is Pacino who never unmasks his characters full intentions until the very end. Pacino once again plays the master manipulator and does it with a lot of confidence. This is one of the best performances I’ve seen from him in a long time.

My hope is that I haven't given too much of this film away, because it is really too good to spoil. It's not every day, or every beginning of the year, when you get a film that is so plot conscious, smart, and suspenseful. The Recruit is all those things and more. It is guaranteed to keep you guessing until the very end.

Rating: 3.5 out of 4

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