After establishing himself as an acting legend long ago, Robert DeNiro made his directorial debut in 1993 with the underrated gem, "A Bronx Tale." DeNiro tackles a much more ambitious project with his second film, "The Good Shepherd." The film follows one man's journey through the long and winding road that is the formation of the CIA. "Good Shepherd" definitely had the pedigree to become a multiple nominee (or even winner) at the Academy Awards. With a well-respected figure in Hollywood at the helm, "Good Shepherd" had a script written by Eric Roth ("Forrest Gump", "The Insider", "Munich"), was shot by the great Robert Richardson ("The Aviator", "Kill Bill") and a cast heavily loaded with A-list stars.
Among those appearing in the film are Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Billy Crudup, Alec Baldwin, Michael Gambon, William Hurt, John Turturro, Timothy Hutton, DeNiro himself, and even a small cameo from the retired Joe Pesci. So why was "The Good Shepherd" essentially persona non grata during awards season? A dull opening, a bloated runtime, and a confusing story certainly didn't help matters.
Damon is the film's anchor as Edward Wilson, a fictionalized character based loosely on former CIA director James Jesus Angleton. Damon plays a vastly different kind of spy than he does as Jason Bourne. Wilson's life isn't filled with elaborate car chases and he doesn't incapacitate his enemies with a rolled-up magazine. An important sequence finds Wilson and his compatriots painstakingly examining photographs and an audio recording to investigate a leak. His is a life of treachery, paranoia, death, and, above all, secrets. Wilson grew up with a life of privilege, but is haunted by the suicide of his father, an admiral whose loyalties to the American government remain in question.
While attending Yale, Wilson is invited to join the secret Skull and Bones society whose future ranks would include former CIA head and president George Bush, along with his son George W. Bush. As a member, Wilson is put into contact with FBI agent Sam Murach (Baldwin) who charges Wilson to spy on his poetry professor, Dr. Fredericks (Gambon). Fredericks is suspected of having ties to a ring of Nazi spies. So begins Wilson ascent into the double-dealings of the intelligence community. He also has a one-night stand with Margaret Russell (Jolie) that leads to a shotgun wedding after she becomes pregnant. It is an uneasy marriage as Wilson leaves behind the woman he really loves, Laura (Tammy Blanchard), a deaf student.
The marriage to Margaret hardly takes off when Wilson joins the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) and spends the next six years in England. Over there, he is mentored by the man he betrayed during his college days, Dr. Fredericks. Upon returning to the states, Wilson meets his son, Edward Jr., for the first time, but finds married life is hardly blissful. The two barely knew each other when they initially met and never truly open up as the years pass.
Wilson's professional life fares no better than his personal life. He is reticent to let anyone in and those he does allow to get close inevitably betray him or are betrayed by him. Wilson also plays a cat-and-mouse game with increasingly high stakes against his Russian counterpart, a man code-named Ulysses (Oleg Stefan).
One complaint I've seen amongst many of the reviews is the fact that the film is frightfully boring. Perhaps, when people hear the word, 'spy', visions of James Bond, silly gadgets, and scantily-clad women automatically pop in their heads. "The Good Shepherd" is a much more realistic look at counter-intelligence than 007 and has less flash than Tony Scott's "Spy Game." The film takes a while to get set-up, but once the pieces are in place things move along. They move along at a glacial pace, but move along they do. Much could have been trimmed from the film's excessive length of over two and a half hours.
I always find it a daunting task to sit through these films in the theater. Occasionally, my opinion will change for the better upon viewing the film in the comfort of my own home. Yet, I found myself just as restless on my couch. Scenes stretch out a little too long and a few don't seem to have an important enough connection to the overall plot to warrant being included in the final cut. I'm not exactly sure what Pesci's scene accomplished that couldn't have been done in a different, and more efficient, manner. Muddying things up is the chronological fracturing of the film. Beginning with the botched Bay of Pigs invasion, the story switches back to Wilson's past than forwards to the investigation into the leak, then back again.
Another detriment to the film is an incredibly complex story that becomes hard to follow as it drags along. There's a wealth of information to be absorbed and you'll definitely need a scorecard to keep track of who's who and what side they're on. Even then, you'll wear your eraser down to a nub as players switch sides and switch back again. As such, it's harder to get into the movie when you're not sure who the supporting characters are in relation to the main ones.
Among those appearing in the film are Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Billy Crudup, Alec Baldwin, Michael Gambon, William Hurt, John Turturro, Timothy Hutton, DeNiro himself, and even a small cameo from the retired Joe Pesci. So why was "The Good Shepherd" essentially persona non grata during awards season? A dull opening, a bloated runtime, and a confusing story certainly didn't help matters.
Damon is the film's anchor as Edward Wilson, a fictionalized character based loosely on former CIA director James Jesus Angleton. Damon plays a vastly different kind of spy than he does as Jason Bourne. Wilson's life isn't filled with elaborate car chases and he doesn't incapacitate his enemies with a rolled-up magazine. An important sequence finds Wilson and his compatriots painstakingly examining photographs and an audio recording to investigate a leak. His is a life of treachery, paranoia, death, and, above all, secrets. Wilson grew up with a life of privilege, but is haunted by the suicide of his father, an admiral whose loyalties to the American government remain in question.
While attending Yale, Wilson is invited to join the secret Skull and Bones society whose future ranks would include former CIA head and president George Bush, along with his son George W. Bush. As a member, Wilson is put into contact with FBI agent Sam Murach (Baldwin) who charges Wilson to spy on his poetry professor, Dr. Fredericks (Gambon). Fredericks is suspected of having ties to a ring of Nazi spies. So begins Wilson ascent into the double-dealings of the intelligence community. He also has a one-night stand with Margaret Russell (Jolie) that leads to a shotgun wedding after she becomes pregnant. It is an uneasy marriage as Wilson leaves behind the woman he really loves, Laura (Tammy Blanchard), a deaf student.
The marriage to Margaret hardly takes off when Wilson joins the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) and spends the next six years in England. Over there, he is mentored by the man he betrayed during his college days, Dr. Fredericks. Upon returning to the states, Wilson meets his son, Edward Jr., for the first time, but finds married life is hardly blissful. The two barely knew each other when they initially met and never truly open up as the years pass.
Wilson's professional life fares no better than his personal life. He is reticent to let anyone in and those he does allow to get close inevitably betray him or are betrayed by him. Wilson also plays a cat-and-mouse game with increasingly high stakes against his Russian counterpart, a man code-named Ulysses (Oleg Stefan).
One complaint I've seen amongst many of the reviews is the fact that the film is frightfully boring. Perhaps, when people hear the word, 'spy', visions of James Bond, silly gadgets, and scantily-clad women automatically pop in their heads. "The Good Shepherd" is a much more realistic look at counter-intelligence than 007 and has less flash than Tony Scott's "Spy Game." The film takes a while to get set-up, but once the pieces are in place things move along. They move along at a glacial pace, but move along they do. Much could have been trimmed from the film's excessive length of over two and a half hours.
I always find it a daunting task to sit through these films in the theater. Occasionally, my opinion will change for the better upon viewing the film in the comfort of my own home. Yet, I found myself just as restless on my couch. Scenes stretch out a little too long and a few don't seem to have an important enough connection to the overall plot to warrant being included in the final cut. I'm not exactly sure what Pesci's scene accomplished that couldn't have been done in a different, and more efficient, manner. Muddying things up is the chronological fracturing of the film. Beginning with the botched Bay of Pigs invasion, the story switches back to Wilson's past than forwards to the investigation into the leak, then back again.
Another detriment to the film is an incredibly complex story that becomes hard to follow as it drags along. There's a wealth of information to be absorbed and you'll definitely need a scorecard to keep track of who's who and what side they're on. Even then, you'll wear your eraser down to a nub as players switch sides and switch back again. As such, it's harder to get into the movie when you're not sure who the supporting characters are in relation to the main ones.
After establishing himself as an acting legend long ago, Robert DeNiro made his directorial debut in 1993 with the underrated gem, "A Bronx Tale." DeNiro tackles a much more ambitious project with his second film, "The Good Shepherd." The film follows one man's journey through the long and winding road that is the formation of the CIA. "Good Shepherd" definitely had the pedigree to become a multiple nominee (or even winner) at the Academy Awards. With a well-respected figure in Hollywood at the helm, "Good Shepherd" had a script written by Eric Roth ("Forrest Gump", "The Insider", "Munich"), was shot by the great Robert Richardson ("The Aviator", "Kill Bill") and a cast heavily loaded with A-list stars.
Among those appearing in the film are Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Billy Crudup, Alec Baldwin, Michael Gambon, William Hurt, John Turturro, Timothy Hutton, DeNiro himself, and even a small cameo from the retired Joe Pesci. So why was "The Good Shepherd" essentially persona non grata during awards season? A dull opening, a bloated runtime, and a confusing story certainly didn't help matters.
Damon is the film's anchor as Edward Wilson, a fictionalized character based loosely on former CIA director James Jesus Angleton. Damon plays a vastly different kind of spy than he does as Jason Bourne. Wilson's life isn't filled with elaborate car chases and he doesn't incapacitate his enemies with a rolled-up magazine. An important sequence finds Wilson and his compatriots painstakingly examining photographs and an audio recording to investigate a leak. His is a life of treachery, paranoia, death, and, above all, secrets. Wilson grew up with a life of privilege, but is haunted by the suicide of his father, an admiral whose loyalties to the American government remain in question.
While attending Yale, Wilson is invited to join the secret Skull and Bones society whose future ranks would include former CIA head and president George Bush, along with his son George W. Bush. As a member, Wilson is put into contact with FBI agent Sam Murach (Baldwin) who charges Wilson to spy on his poetry professor, Dr. Fredericks (Gambon). Fredericks is suspected of having ties to a ring of Nazi spies. So begins Wilson ascent into the double-dealings of the intelligence community. He also has a one-night stand with Margaret Russell (Jolie) that leads to a shotgun wedding after she becomes pregnant. It is an uneasy marriage as Wilson leaves behind the woman he really loves, Laura (Tammy Blanchard), a deaf student.
The marriage to Margaret hardly takes off when Wilson joins the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) and spends the next six years in England. Over there, he is mentored by the man he betrayed during his college days, Dr. Fredericks. Upon returning to the states, Wilson meets his son, Edward Jr., for the first time, but finds married life is hardly blissful. The two barely knew each other when they initially met and never truly open up as the years pass.
Wilson's professional life fares no better than his personal life. He is reticent to let anyone in and those he does allow to get close inevitably betray him or are betrayed by him. Wilson also plays a cat-and-mouse game with increasingly high stakes against his Russian counterpart, a man code-named Ulysses (Oleg Stefan).
One complaint I've seen amongst many of the reviews is the fact that the film is frightfully boring. Perhaps, when people hear the word, 'spy', visions of James Bond, silly gadgets, and scantily-clad women automatically pop in their heads. "The Good Shepherd" is a much more realistic look at counter-intelligence than 007 and has less flash than Tony Scott's "Spy Game." The film takes a while to get set-up, but once the pieces are in place things move along. They move along at a glacial pace, but move along they do. Much could have been trimmed from the film's excessive length of over two and a half hours.
I always find it a daunting task to sit through these films in the theater. Occasionally, my opinion will change for the better upon viewing the film in the comfort of my own home. Yet, I found myself just as restless on my couch. Scenes stretch out a little too long and a few don't seem to have an important enough connection to the overall plot to warrant being included in the final cut. I'm not exactly sure what Pesci's scene accomplished that couldn't have been done in a different, and more efficient, manner. Muddying things up is the chronological fracturing of the film. Beginning with the botched Bay of Pigs invasion, the story switches back to Wilson's past than forwards to the investigation into the leak, then back again.
Another detriment to the film is an incredibly complex story that becomes hard to follow as it drags along. There's a wealth of information to be absorbed and you'll definitely need a scorecard to keep track of who's who and what side they're on. Even then, you'll wear your eraser down to a nub as players switch sides and switch back again. As such, it's harder to get into the movie when you're not sure who the supporting characters are in relation to the main ones.
Among those appearing in the film are Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Billy Crudup, Alec Baldwin, Michael Gambon, William Hurt, John Turturro, Timothy Hutton, DeNiro himself, and even a small cameo from the retired Joe Pesci. So why was "The Good Shepherd" essentially persona non grata during awards season? A dull opening, a bloated runtime, and a confusing story certainly didn't help matters.
Damon is the film's anchor as Edward Wilson, a fictionalized character based loosely on former CIA director James Jesus Angleton. Damon plays a vastly different kind of spy than he does as Jason Bourne. Wilson's life isn't filled with elaborate car chases and he doesn't incapacitate his enemies with a rolled-up magazine. An important sequence finds Wilson and his compatriots painstakingly examining photographs and an audio recording to investigate a leak. His is a life of treachery, paranoia, death, and, above all, secrets. Wilson grew up with a life of privilege, but is haunted by the suicide of his father, an admiral whose loyalties to the American government remain in question.
While attending Yale, Wilson is invited to join the secret Skull and Bones society whose future ranks would include former CIA head and president George Bush, along with his son George W. Bush. As a member, Wilson is put into contact with FBI agent Sam Murach (Baldwin) who charges Wilson to spy on his poetry professor, Dr. Fredericks (Gambon). Fredericks is suspected of having ties to a ring of Nazi spies. So begins Wilson ascent into the double-dealings of the intelligence community. He also has a one-night stand with Margaret Russell (Jolie) that leads to a shotgun wedding after she becomes pregnant. It is an uneasy marriage as Wilson leaves behind the woman he really loves, Laura (Tammy Blanchard), a deaf student.
The marriage to Margaret hardly takes off when Wilson joins the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) and spends the next six years in England. Over there, he is mentored by the man he betrayed during his college days, Dr. Fredericks. Upon returning to the states, Wilson meets his son, Edward Jr., for the first time, but finds married life is hardly blissful. The two barely knew each other when they initially met and never truly open up as the years pass.
Wilson's professional life fares no better than his personal life. He is reticent to let anyone in and those he does allow to get close inevitably betray him or are betrayed by him. Wilson also plays a cat-and-mouse game with increasingly high stakes against his Russian counterpart, a man code-named Ulysses (Oleg Stefan).
One complaint I've seen amongst many of the reviews is the fact that the film is frightfully boring. Perhaps, when people hear the word, 'spy', visions of James Bond, silly gadgets, and scantily-clad women automatically pop in their heads. "The Good Shepherd" is a much more realistic look at counter-intelligence than 007 and has less flash than Tony Scott's "Spy Game." The film takes a while to get set-up, but once the pieces are in place things move along. They move along at a glacial pace, but move along they do. Much could have been trimmed from the film's excessive length of over two and a half hours.
I always find it a daunting task to sit through these films in the theater. Occasionally, my opinion will change for the better upon viewing the film in the comfort of my own home. Yet, I found myself just as restless on my couch. Scenes stretch out a little too long and a few don't seem to have an important enough connection to the overall plot to warrant being included in the final cut. I'm not exactly sure what Pesci's scene accomplished that couldn't have been done in a different, and more efficient, manner. Muddying things up is the chronological fracturing of the film. Beginning with the botched Bay of Pigs invasion, the story switches back to Wilson's past than forwards to the investigation into the leak, then back again.
Another detriment to the film is an incredibly complex story that becomes hard to follow as it drags along. There's a wealth of information to be absorbed and you'll definitely need a scorecard to keep track of who's who and what side they're on. Even then, you'll wear your eraser down to a nub as players switch sides and switch back again. As such, it's harder to get into the movie when you're not sure who the supporting characters are in relation to the main ones.
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