About the only fault I could find with this espionage thriller is the slow pacing, which is a testament to its character development and building dramatic suspense.
Still, the tale of the downfall of FBI traitor Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper, "American Beauty") who sold sensitive secrets to the Soviets for almost 20 years is extremely well-acted and intriguing, nonetheless.
It's more an homage to the gritty, realistic films such as "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold," "The Falcon and the Snowman" and "The Conversation."
It's late 2000, and while the FBI has suspicions about Hanssen, they have no solid proof of his alleged spy activities. With an entire staff of agents working on his case, more personal attention is still necessary.
Enter agent trainee Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe, "54," "Crash"), who is set up as a clerk for Hanssen in the Department of Security Assurance an entity made up to trap the senior intelligence analyst.
The bureau informs O'Neill that he was brought in to keep an eye on Hanssen's "sexually deviant" Internet postings; but it is soon apparent that the church-going family man is a much tougher (and much more intelligent) nut to crack.
Invited into his home, as well as his confidence, the status-seeking O'Neill questions his superiors (including Laura Linney and Dennis Haysbert) about the direction and legitimacy of the entire investigation.
Only later does O'Neill discover that his boss is wanted for a far more devastating crime. Evidently, Hanssen's espionage activities resulted in the worst breach of national security in the country's history (although we still do not know what devastation former National Security Adviser under Clinton, Sandy Berger's stealing of secret documents may cause).
It may come as a surprise to many that Hanssen actually almost got away with a much lesser charge (a concealed weapons rap) , but his ego and religious zeal lead him to fall into the bureau's last-ditch trap.
Despite the pacing, there are several moments of pure tension where Hanssen almost uncovers the plot that O'Neill is trying to keep from him.
All of this keeps us on the edge of our seats despite knowing the outcome (if we didn't before, the movie opens with a press conference by then attorney general John Ashcroft announcing Hanssen's arrest). This is a tribute to the taut, seamless script, a debut effort by Adam Mazer and William Rotko; and direction by Billy Ray ("Shattered Glass").
While Cooper, is marvelous, as usual, in this low key role, it's Phillippe that overcomes his pretty boy image to excel here.
Still, the tale of the downfall of FBI traitor Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper, "American Beauty") who sold sensitive secrets to the Soviets for almost 20 years is extremely well-acted and intriguing, nonetheless.
It's more an homage to the gritty, realistic films such as "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold," "The Falcon and the Snowman" and "The Conversation."
It's late 2000, and while the FBI has suspicions about Hanssen, they have no solid proof of his alleged spy activities. With an entire staff of agents working on his case, more personal attention is still necessary.
Enter agent trainee Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe, "54," "Crash"), who is set up as a clerk for Hanssen in the Department of Security Assurance an entity made up to trap the senior intelligence analyst.
The bureau informs O'Neill that he was brought in to keep an eye on Hanssen's "sexually deviant" Internet postings; but it is soon apparent that the church-going family man is a much tougher (and much more intelligent) nut to crack.
Invited into his home, as well as his confidence, the status-seeking O'Neill questions his superiors (including Laura Linney and Dennis Haysbert) about the direction and legitimacy of the entire investigation.
Only later does O'Neill discover that his boss is wanted for a far more devastating crime. Evidently, Hanssen's espionage activities resulted in the worst breach of national security in the country's history (although we still do not know what devastation former National Security Adviser under Clinton, Sandy Berger's stealing of secret documents may cause).
It may come as a surprise to many that Hanssen actually almost got away with a much lesser charge (a concealed weapons rap) , but his ego and religious zeal lead him to fall into the bureau's last-ditch trap.
Despite the pacing, there are several moments of pure tension where Hanssen almost uncovers the plot that O'Neill is trying to keep from him.
All of this keeps us on the edge of our seats despite knowing the outcome (if we didn't before, the movie opens with a press conference by then attorney general John Ashcroft announcing Hanssen's arrest). This is a tribute to the taut, seamless script, a debut effort by Adam Mazer and William Rotko; and direction by Billy Ray ("Shattered Glass").
While Cooper, is marvelous, as usual, in this low key role, it's Phillippe that overcomes his pretty boy image to excel here.