Rated: PG-13 for violence, sexual content and language. Runtime: 110 mins. Director: Billy Ray Writer: Adam Mazer; William Rotko; Billy Ray Cast:Christ Cooper; Laura Linney, Ryan Phillipe; Caroline Dhavernas Tagline: Inspired by the true story of the greatest security breach in U.S. history Release Date: February 16, 2007 Genre:Drama/Thriller Memorable Quote: "God expects you to live your faith, Eric, at all times" Distributor: Universal Pictures Official Site:www.breachmovie.net/ View the Trailer:www.apple.com/trailers/universal/breach/
Reel commentary: ... the character complexities and interactions are some of the best you'll ever see on screen, and the performances turned in by Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillipe and Laura Linney are absolutely top notch... full review
In 2003, filmmaker Billy Ray co-wrote and directed Shattered Glass, the true story of Stephen Glass, a young journalist that fell from grace when it was revealed he fabricated most of the stories he wrote for The New Republic magazine. In that film, Ray crafted an expertly told tale of deception and treachery that left viewers disgusted yet thoroughly entertained. Ray readdresses similar themes with Breach, a film about real-life FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who covertly sold vital U.S. secrets to the Russians over a stretch of two decades.
At its core, Breach is a compelling spy-thriller that provides plenty of tension and high drama. But it's the other stuff that really separates it from the chafe. The character complexities and interactions written by Ray, Adam Mazer and William Rotko are some of the best you'll ever see, and the performances turned in by Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillipe and Laura Linney are absolutely top notch.
The film covers the last few months before Hanssen was eventually nabbed red-handed in a Virginia park. Hand-picked to watch Hanssen's every move is the ambitious Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillipe), a young FBI clerk who sees the assignment as a fast track means of making Agent within the FBI. Bright, intelligent and even a bit cocksure, O'Neill quickly suspects something more than the trafficking of pornography – as the Bureau officially informed him - by the man he's been charged with shadowing. When informed of the depth and danger of the actual investigation, cracks surface in O'Neill's confidence and his self-assuredness falters as he begins to question whether he's the right man for the job. But he knows any external display of weakness in front of Hanssen could result in disaster. This is a very complex role for Phillipe. Probably one of his toughest to date. But he rises to the challenge with a great performance. We didn't get a chance to see this from him in last year's Flags of Our Fathers or even from 2005's Crash for that matter. Welcome to "The Bigs" Ryan.
Renowned operative and suspected spy Robert Hanssen (CHRIS COOPER) begins to grow suspicious of Eric O'Neill (RYAN PHILLIPPE), the FBI trainee hand picked to keep an eye on him
But standing in the room like the 500-pound gorilla, and overshadowing all others in the cast, is Chris Cooper as the treacherous FBI operative Robert Hanssen. Now called the most notorious spy in United States history, Hanssen is believed to have been responsible for the deaths of at least 50 operatives, both Russian and American. That would qualify as a mass murderer in anyone's book, but Cooper doesn't depict Hanssen as a cold-blooded killer. His Hanssen is a brilliantly complex character that hides behind many layers and contradictions. To buy into Hanssen, we must believe that he is intelligent, quirky, a bit pompous and quite capable of being a loving husband and devoted father. But we see via Cooper that he also terrifies anyone in his presence. Part of his cover as a secret agent comes from his chameleon-like ability to lead a double life. And Cooper channels this effect flawlessly. Though not as physically menacing as the 6'3" real-life Hanssen, we nonetheless get the feeling that he happily chews up his detractors and spits them in the face of anyone who might get in the way. It's a true joy to watch Cooper and Phillipe on the screen together. Even though we know the outcome of the investigation, the chemistry generated by these two makes the takedown a mesmerizing thing to watch.
Not to be outdone though is two-time Oscar nominee Laura Linney as Special Agent Kate Burroughs, O'Neill's boss and confidante in the operation. As always, she's believable as a smart, tough woman, but she also shows a bit of vulnerability as we learn she's basically a lonely workaholic married to the Bureau with no personal life.
With Shattered Glass and now Breach, Billy Ray has landed a solid one-two punch backed by powerful stories of deception and disloyalty. Both films make us think about who we can truly trust and what happens when those we think we know betray that trust. In Breach, Ray paid very close attention to the details of the real story and only strayed in a few areas for dramatic effect. He even shot the film's final scene in the actual suburban park where Hanssen was arrested. The result is a chilling dose of realism that drives home what a bad man this guy truly was.
Frank Wilkins
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Frank says:
June 10. 2007
More BREACH quotes:
"Can't trust a woman in a pants suit. Men wear the pants."
"You know why the Soviet Union empire collapsed? Godlessness."
"You're being tasked to headquarters where you'll be riding the desk of an agent named Robert Hanssen, considered our most knowledgable analyst on Russian intel. He's also a sexual deviant. This could mean a huge embarrassment to the bureau."
"Tell me 5 things about yourself, 4 of them true."
"The guy doesn't drink, goes to church every day."
"Faith. family, country...those are the things that matter."
"I never cared about making headlines. I wanted to make history."
"The damage he's done to the U.S. government is on the billions. Might be years before we truly know how many deaths he's responsible for."
Screen formats: Widescreen Anamorphic 1.85:1
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Language and Sound: English: Dolby Digital 5.1; French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Other Features: Color; interactive menus; scene access; deleted scenes; director's commentary.
Commentaries - feature-length Audio Commentary with director Billy Ray and consultant Eric O'Neill
Deleted & Extended Scenes - 12 clips totalling over 18 minutes, presented with optional audio commentary by Ray and editor Jeffrey Ford
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