The Good Shepherd

(2006)



Alexis says:

3.75 STARS

This film was pretty good, as usual Matt Damon evolves into the character he is portraying and gives a five star performance. The story in interesting and the teetering between both flashbacks and present day scenes develops and brings the story full circle wonderfully. Angelina Jolie gives an ordinary but enjoyable performance as well.

The film and the story it tells are sad yet honest. I have to admit that I was a little frustrated the first time I saw this film because I felt completely lost most of the way through, the second viewing I knew where the film was headed and I was able to pay attention to details that I had missed the first time. Unfortunately, I feel like this hurt my overall rating of this film. In the end I was enlightened and satisfied I just wish that I hadn't felt so lost with the story the first time but I imagine that was the director's intention.

Overall, the movie was filmed well and the story an intriguing one and I would recommend you invest a few hours in this one.

Todd Says:

5 STARS

I think that the Good Shepherd offers us a wonderful look inside the beginnings of an institution that is now the cornerstone of America's Foreign Policy. I don't know how much of the movie is factual and how much is fantasy, but to be honest it really doesn't matter much. This film is deep and riveting, and I found it hard to not become emotionally invested in the story.

The cast, which is the epitome of All-Star casting, is superb, and the writing and directing are nearly amazing. Even though some of the characters are hard to like (Jolie's especially), they seem like real people, which is rare in movies anymore.

The story, which is told in a seemingly random chronology, will keep you wondering what exactly is going on until the very end, when you come to the realization that this is a top notch spy movie and that you may never know exactly what you want to know. This movie, in my humble opinion, is brilliant and raises the bar a bit for movies of this genre.

You must see this.