Al Pacino always seems to look sinister, even as the boss, recruiter, and father figure in this thriller flick.  He plays Walter Burke who 'discovers' Colin Farrell as James Clayton, the 'perfect' recruit.  This kicks off a series of confusing and intriguing events that build nicely to an ending with a twist.  Along the way we are treated to deceit, lies, and camouflage - nothing is what it seems and everything's a test.  Where else but the CIA?  This is a pretty good story, albeit mostly predictable, filled with (you guessed it) deceit, lies and camouflage. 

            Psychological destabilization is achieved with a triad of personalities, the sure fire way to mess up relationships.  This third person in the screenplay is Layla played by Bridget Moynahan.  Her demeanor is more mature than Farrell's and that makes him seem younger, in fact boyish.  And it doesn't help that Farrell really looks ten years younger than Moynahan (he is actually five years younger).  In my opinion, this makes Farrell's role harder to do, but his intensity carries the character.  It's the same intensity I saw and liked so much in his portrayal of the sniper victim in Phone Booth (2002).

            This film reminds us of a couple of important life lessons.  First, lying is a lot of extra hard work.  You have to live two lives, the real one and the phony one you've invented with the lies.  And second, denying your own human nature creates a schism with your personal zeitgeist, a virtual schizophrenia that does weird things to your head.  In other words, don't fool with Mother Nature and expect to get away with it!  Both of these are CIA building blocks, and they are emphasized in the screenplay.  Of course it skips all the bureaucracy that accompanies this kind of work, but that's appropriate since the film is supposed to entertain us, not bore us to death. 

              Pacino, Farrell and Moynahan carried this film.  It was their star-power and excellent performances that made it worth watching.  And I thought that most of the screenplay moved well and built tension.  The ending was a disappointment, not because of the twist or the plot facts, but because I don't think it ever would have gone down in real life the way it was portrayed. 

            MPAA: Rated PG-13 for violence, sexuality and language.

            Reviewed May 28, 2005                            Copyright 2005 Charles T. Markee