The Good Shepherd

I’ve always been cautious of films that are directed by older movie stars. When Clint Eastwood moved into the business of writing and directing, I wasn’t sure what to make of it. For me, it’s been a hit or miss. Several films have been quite strong, while others, in my humble opinion, seem to lack what having someone else direct brings. Often, a director insists on starring in the film. This, I believe, is a mistake. In The Good Shepherd, this is not the case, as newly director Robert De Nero keeps out of the majority of this film, and behind the camera: a wise decision by a talented man.

The Good Shepherd details the life and times of one of the C.I.A.’s first members, Edward Wilson (played by Matt Damon). Beginning with his induction to a secret society, we are taken into a world of espionage, and secrecy beyond what any man should be expected to live. Split between two time periods, the story details his ascension of power through World War 2, leading up to the second part of the story, which deals with the threat of communist in Cuba. Though, despite these powerful events in human history, the story focuses more around his personal relationships, including that of his wife Magaret (Angelina Jolie).

Unfortunately, this is where the film suffers. If you’ve sent he previews, you most likely believe this film to be about the dark world of the C.I.A. or murders committed in dark corners, or phone calls to mysterious Russian Men. This is not the case. Though portrayed as a fast paced espionage film, it comes off more like P.T. Anderson style of Traffic, or Syriana. At times, the film forces the viewer to lean over to your neighbor and ask, “Who was that guy again.” Though not necessarily difficult to follow the plot, the film sometimes makes the viewers beg the question “what’s the point?” It’s a cat and mouse game that happens over the course of 10 years, and yet, there never seems to be a threat, or consequence to either participant’s actions. It plays out more like a “look what I did,” sort of game.

And though the casting seems to be very solid, the supporting cast helped little in creating the suspense. Angelina Jolie created whatever tension she could as a housewife forced to hide from her husband’s work, always question her husband’s intentions, and raise a son without a present father. She tries, and fails, as the audience never really seems to connect with her character. She has little screen-time, and thus, becomes very hard to relate. The same can be said for Edward’s son. No screen-time = no sympathy.

In fact, the only real powerful supporting characters in this film were John Turturro, Alec Baldwin, and Robert De Nero, all of which had very small roles. At one point, Turturro wakes the audience up by beating a man senseless for information, but clocking in at nearly 2 minutes, the scene isn’t strong enough to carry the dull that settled over the audience.

I don’t want to off this film as a mistake. In fact, I’m actually rooting for Matt Damon in the Oscar hunt for best actor. His performance in this film far surpasses anything he has done in his tenure. It is fair, also, to say that Mr. Damon’s performance is one of the sole things that carried this movie to its credits. His effort was remarkable. Much like the up and coming actor Leonardo DeCaprio (I say up and coming due to his major success as a recent dramatist) I have high hopes that Matt Damon will continue to improve throughout his years as an actor. Even De Nero had to start somewhere, and it appears that Damon is well on his way.

You must have the time and will to spend 160 minutes in a theater, regardless of the film. In this case, I’d suggest more of that tolerance. It’s a powerful film, with a rather solid story; it just doesn’t seem presented in an exciting manner, at least not enough to capture the regular audience. Much like Syriana, the film relies on the interest of the audience to its characters, rather than plot. Pushing political statements aside (and this film has a few,) it’s a story that should be told, and should be understood. Just don’t order any popcorn or soda during the film; you might end up using it as an excuse to go to the restroom in efforts of escaping the slight lull. 6.0 of 10.