list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Breach on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Breach/272825/default.aspx Title: Breach
Year: 2007
Director: Billy Ray
Plot: Shattered Glass director Billy Ray directs Chris Cooper and Ryan Philippe in this fact-based drama concerning the FBI traitor who carried out what many historians refer to as the most notable national security breach in U.S. history. A key member of the FBI's elite Soviet Analytical Unit, Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper) would, for 15 years beginning in 1985, sell thousands of pages of classified documents to the Soviets. After making roughly 600,000 dollars on his clandestine endeavor and compromising everything from the identities of KGB spies working for the American government to nuclear war contingency plans, Hanssen was eventually transferred to a newly created position at the FBI's Washington headquarters and assigned the task of guarding his country's most sensitive secrets. It was while working in this capacity that a young agent named Eric O'Neill (Phillipe) was assigned the task of keeping tabs on Hanssen by suspicious higher-ups. Later, after being arrested while delivering a cache of secret documents to a "dead drop" spot in a Virginia park, the notorious traitor was arrested and sentenced to life in prison with no chance for parole. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 48
Number of Lists: 17
Number of blog posts: 11
Number of discussion threads: 2
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:33:06 GMTBreach2007Billy Ray<a href=/films/226212/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Shattered Glass</a> director Billy Ray directs <a href="/players/P____14803/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Chris Cooper</a> and Ryan Philippe in this fact-based drama concerning the FBI traitor who carried out what many historians refer to as the most notable national security breach in U.S. history. A key member of the FBI's elite Soviet Analytical Unit, Robert Hanssen (<a href="/players/P____14803/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Chris Cooper</a>) would, for 15 years beginning in 1985, sell thousands of pages of classified documents to the Soviets. After making roughly 600,000 dollars on his clandestine endeavor and compromising everything from the identities of KGB spies working for the American government to nuclear war contingency plans, Hanssen was eventually transferred to a newly created position at the FBI's Washington headquarters and assigned the task of guarding his country's most sensitive secrets. It was while working in this capacity that a young agent named Eric O'Neill (Phillipe) was assigned the task of keeping tabs on Hanssen by suspicious higher-ups. Later, after being arrested while delivering a cache of secret documents to a "dead drop" spot in a Virginia park, the notorious traitor was arrested and sentenced to life in prison with no chance for parole. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide48Tag Target (>10)171123http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s272825.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Breach/272825/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Collaboration_Best_Films_of_2007/643/38187/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: dibot
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/10/2008 1:36:01 PM
Body: Many good films have been listed. My ulitmate favorite for 2007 is There Will Be Blood. But I have a few others: 1. 30 Days of Night 2. Black Snake Moan 3. Breach 4. Eastern Promises 5. Gone Baby Gone 6. La Vie En Rose 7. No Country for Old Men 8. Sunshine 9. The Mist 10. Waitress
]]>Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:36:01 GMTdibotCommunity Recommendations12/10/2008 1:36:01 PMMany good films have been listed. My ulitmate favorite for 2007 is There Will Be Blood. But I have a few others: 1. 30 Days of Night 2. Black Snake Moan 3. Breach 4. Eastern Promises 5. Gone Baby Gone 6. La Vie En Rose 7. No Country for Old Men 8. Sunshine 9. The Mist 10. Waitress http://www.spout.com/blogs/joem18b/archive/2008/11/23/37569.aspx Post By: joem18b
Post To: joem18b Blog
Post Date: 11/23/2008 10:04:39 PM
Body: I was jogging the other day, listening to Filmcouch #97, and the boys on the program asked whether there are any movies being made in the old spy genre anymore. Pure spy movies, as I think they put it. Or are we now left with, through evolutionary Hollywood transmogrification, only action spies (Bourne), humorous spoofy spies (Powers), and a few self-referential takes on the old genre, viz., The Constant Gardener.So for a few blocks I mentally recapitulated the efflorescence of the spy genre in the Sixties, as I remember it. Fleming, who started it all when JFK told an interviewer that he read the Bond books before bed at night, Len Deighton (Michael Caine as Quiller), the Flint movies. Richard Burton in the first La Carre effort.Then I spent a couple of blocks coming up with the following list:Spy Kids (2001, 2002)Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)The Tailor of Panama (2001)Spy Game (2001)Breach (2007)Later I did a power search of 2000-2008 in IMDB for "spy" and "spies." Didn't see much.My conclusion: There was a period, beginning with Dr. No and ending, perhaps, with Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, (1979) and Smiley's People (1982), when a true (Bond-inspired) spy genre existed. Since then, from time to time, a movie involving spies appears, but only conforming to the conventions of the old genre, if at all, by accident. This is similar to comparing Hollywood genre romantic comedies (which conform to a strict set of rules) to French romantic comedies (which don't).
]]>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 03:04:39 GMTjoem18bjoem18b Blog11/23/2008 10:04:39 PMI was jogging the other day, listening to Filmcouch #97, and the boys on the program asked whether there are any movies being made in the old spy genre anymore. Pure spy movies, as I think they put it. Or are we now left with, through evolutionary Hollywood transmogrification, only action spies (Bourne), humorous spoofy spies (Powers), and a few self-referential takes on the old genre, viz., The Constant Gardener.So for a few blocks I mentally recapitulated the efflorescence of the spy genre in the Sixties, as I remember it. Fleming, who started it all when JFK told an interviewer that he read the Bond books before bed at night, Len Deighton (Michael Caine as Quiller), the Flint movies. Richard Burton in the first La Carre effort.Then I spent a couple of blocks coming up with the following list:Spy Kids (2001, 2002)Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)The Tailor of Panama (2001)Spy Game (2001)Breach (2007)Later I did a power search of 2000-2008 in IMDB for "spy" and "spies." Didn't see much.My conclusion: There was a period, beginning with Dr. No and ending, perhaps, with Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, (1979) and Smiley's People (1982), when a true (Bond-inspired) spy genre existed. Since then, from time to time, a movie involving spies appears, but only conforming to the conventions of the old genre, if at all, by accident. This is similar to comparing Hollywood genre romantic comedies (which conform to a strict set of rules) to French romantic comedies (which don't). http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Upcoming_Movies_Week_of_8_29/216/34334/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 8/25/2008 12:46:07 PM
Body: Ah, the back to school season. College students across the nation are so occupied with drinking, packing, traveling, and vomiting that they can't get a movie in edgewise. So with the possibility of a big opening weekend thrown out the window, the studios are unveiling some movies I'd like to throw out a window. These movies made me think of some good films to talk about, though.Babylon A.D. (8-29) -- I've met a few enthusiastic members of the Pitch Black cult, but still haven't seen that or Chronicles of Riddick. Any fans of these movies who are looking forward to Babylon A.D.? I would see this movie more for Michelle Yeoh, who could definitely kick Vin Diesel's ass. Traitor (8-29) -- Is it just me, or does this movie look as generic as those cereals that come in plastic bags? It could surprise me though, starring reliables like Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, and Jeff Daniels. Still, if I'm going to see a thriller about treason I'll watch The Hunt for Red October again. I found the recent Breach (Ryan Philippe, Chris Cooper) only passable, though the ever-excellent Cooper succeeded at making me feel as sordid as his character. Any treason thrillers you guys recommend?If you like the actors in Traitor, get a load of Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress, Guy Pearce in The Proposition, and Jeff Daniels in The Squid and the Whale.Disaster Movie (8-29) -- Even the two-minute trailer to this comedy feels an hour too long. College (8-29) -- (sigh) If you were stuck on a deserted island with only Disaster Movie or College, which one would you pick?Maria Bethania: Music is Perfume (8-29, limited release) -- Huge in Brazil, I haven't heard of the singer until now. Turns out she's released over thirty albums in forty-some years. "Samba is sadness dancing," she says, so if this documentary is as thoughtful and articulate as Maria, fans of Latin and world music might enjoy it. I've realized that the music docs I prefer all include mad men: Dig! follows the feud between The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre; You're Gonna Miss Me shows psych-rock innovator Roky Erickson's sad but winning battle with schizophrenia; and Townes Van Zandt is quietly crazy in the heartbreakingly beautiful Be Here to Love Me. We just have to hang in there until September 12 for the new Coen Brothers movie Burn After Reading. Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand and John Malkovich in a dark spy-comedy--how could this film go wrong? Though I'm a little worried about Righteous Kill (also Sept. 12). Robert Deniro and Al Pacino doing a bad cop/bad cop routine looks like some supremely macho entertainment, and I'm fine with that. The chemistry between these actors in Heat was tremendous, but I wonder how much of that had to do with director Michael Mann? I'm wary that Righteous Kill director Jon Avnet might blow it, because if his recent team-up with Al Pacino, 88 Minutes, is any indication of how righteous Righteous Kill will be...we're doomed.
]]>Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:46:07 GMTSkyPilotComing Soon8/25/2008 12:46:07 PMAh, the back to school season. College students across the nation are so occupied with drinking, packing, traveling, and vomiting that they can't get a movie in edgewise. So with the possibility of a big opening weekend thrown out the window, the studios are unveiling some movies I'd like to throw out a window. These movies made me think of some good films to talk about, though.Babylon A.D. (8-29) -- I've met a few enthusiastic members of the Pitch Black cult, but still haven't seen that or Chronicles of Riddick. Any fans of these movies who are looking forward to Babylon A.D.? I would see this movie more for Michelle Yeoh, who could definitely kick Vin Diesel's ass. Traitor (8-29) -- Is it just me, or does this movie look as generic as those cereals that come in plastic bags? It could surprise me though, starring reliables like Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, and Jeff Daniels. Still, if I'm going to see a thriller about treason I'll watch The Hunt for Red October again. I found the recent Breach (Ryan Philippe, Chris Cooper) only passable, though the ever-excellent Cooper succeeded at making me feel as sordid as his character. Any treason thrillers you guys recommend?If you like the actors in Traitor, get a load of Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress, Guy Pearce in The Proposition, and Jeff Daniels in The Squid and the Whale.Disaster Movie (8-29) -- Even the two-minute trailer to this comedy feels an hour too long. College (8-29) -- (sigh) If you were stuck on a deserted island with only Disaster Movie or College, which one would you pick?Maria Bethania: Music is Perfume (8-29, limited release) -- Huge in Brazil, I haven't heard of the singer until now. Turns out she's released over thirty albums in forty-some years. "Samba is sadness dancing," she says, so if this documentary is as thoughtful and articulate as Maria, fans of Latin and world music might enjoy it. I've realized that the music docs I prefer all include mad men: Dig! follows the feud between The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre; You're Gonna Miss Me shows psych-rock innovator Roky Erickson's sad but winning battle with schizophrenia; and Townes Van Zandt is quietly crazy in the heartbreakingly beautiful Be Here to Love Me. We just have to hang in there until September 12 for the new Coen Brothers movie Burn After Reading. Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand and John Malkovich in a dark spy-comedy--how could this film go wrong? Though I'm a little worried about Righteous Kill (also Sept. 12). Robert Deniro and Al Pacino doing a bad cop/bad cop routine looks like some supremely macho entertainment, and I'm fine with that. The chemistry between these actors in Heat was tremendous, but I wonder how much of that had to do with director Michael Mann? I'm wary that Righteous Kill director Jon Avnet might blow it, because if his recent team-up with Al Pacino, 88 Minutes, is any indication of how righteous Righteous Kill will be...we're doomed. http://www.spout.com/blogs/jj79/archive/2008/6/9/30950.aspx Post By: JJ79
Post To: JJ79 Blog
Post Date: 6/9/2008 1:04:07 PM
Body: Based on a true story. It seems as though the multiplexes have been chock-full of these types of movies in recent months. It's not uncommon for studios and scriptwriters to rip their stories right out of the newspapers, but eventually enough is enough. This story, about real-life FBI spy Robert Hanssen and the man who brought him down, doesn't give us the answers to life nor does it tip the scales against real story movies. Better than that, it entertains and rivets, which is all we can really ask of a movie. Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe) is summoned to FBI headquarters on a Sunday morning to be "re-tasked." He is given a new assignment: ride the desk of respected agent Hanssen (Chris Cooper). There have been problems between him and female subordinates; he is, what Kate Burroughs (Lara Linney) calls, a sexual deviant, posting on pornographic websites and the like. But there is more to the story: eventually, Eric and his wife Juliana are treated like family by the Hanssens, bringing Eric into a spy ring which has allegedly cost the United States untold billions of dollars and at least 50 human lives. It is up to O'Neill to bring down the worst spy in American history while protecting his back at the same time. Before the first reel even begins winding its way through the projector, we already know how this story ends: Hanssen is caught, O'Neill is safe. Anyone with a working television knows that. Whatever lack of suspense this fact gives the movie is no fault of the movie's. It's a simple fact of true stories. For instance, when Eric is copying Hanssen's palm pilot in a race against the clock, we know he's not going to get caught. Later on, during a confrontation in a park (no spoilers since this is seen in the trailer), we know Hanssen doesn't fatally wound Eric. Knowing the outcome beforehand chips away at the level of drama director Billy Ray is trying to convey. Again, it's not Ray's fault or really a "fault"; it's a fact of these types of stories. What we do have here is an incredibly lean, fast-paced and well-done thriller without some of the usual thriller trademarks. There is one scene involving small amounts of blood, no real profanity, and one scene of sexuality which is all but covered up. In essence, Ray has put together a taut drama with a surprising performance from Phillippe that somehow knows to toe the line between cliché and reality. The real surprise here is Phillippe, who always seemed to be one or two rungs belong Leonardo DiCaprio on the Hollywood Acting Respect Scale. That's not to say Phillippe is a bad actor, but critics and audiences like to pick "pretty boy" actors apart for their movie choices. In this role, though, opposite Cooper, he has a better actor to play off of, someone to match what he throws out. Bar none, the best scenes in the movie are between Hanssen and O'Neill, based on the sheer tension they each bring to the situation. When the story veers away from the two male leads, "Breach" begins to loose its punch. The information we receive regarding Hanssen's meddling in Juliana and Eric's marriage is a facet of the story, but it's not what the audience came to see. Likewise the religious storyline. Why does it even matter? Arguments can be made stating this is a real event and the movie needed to get as close to it as possible. However, I'm sure other portions of the story were left out for dramatic purpose. Why was this kept in? The promotional material for "Breach" goes out of its way to mention the term "sexual deviant." It is featured so early and often in the trailer that you would think that portion of Hanssen's life was vital to the story. It's not. It's given extremely short thrift and, aside from a late scene involving videotape, it relegated to the background. A lot of the flaws committed in "true story" movies can be rationalized by saying we're watching a, well, true story. Leave out a part of the narrative and you're damned; include it, no matter how trivial it may seem, and you're damned. In the end, the only rational thing to do is to serve the story. The sexual deviant angle, while titillating and the first story Eric is given about his assignment, doesn't add anything to the film. Even the jarring videotape stands out. Why include this when there's really no good reason? Who did the tape go to? Why did it go out? Logically, the only reason for it to exist is as a test for Eric. If it got mailed, then Hanssen felt as though he could trust him. If not, he knew something was wrong. But we never get that type of information. It's simply there as a catalyst for an argument between Eric and Juliana. And if that's the only reason it exists/existed, then the audience needed more clarification on it. It sounds as though I'm bashing on "Breach," picking at its minor faults. That's not the case. This is still a movie that exceeded my expectations, especially considering the odds stacked against it. The positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to "Breach." There is very little fat to cut from the production: the film drops the audience into the story without much in the way of introductions and, outside of the aforementioned issues, doesn't allow itself to get distracted from the main plot. The best thing that can be said about any movie is that the audience was entertained, never thinking about the running time or the finale. I experienced that with "Breach." It is, simultaneously, riveting and entertaining. "Breach", starring Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe and Laura Linney, rates a 7 on the scale of 1 to 10. Some audiences may be put off by some references or dialog and there is a heavy religious subplot that might not play for everyone. However, if "Breach" is an example of what the studios will be releasing during the January/February doldrums, we're all in good shape.
]]>Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:04:07 GMTJJ79JJ79 Blog6/9/2008 1:04:07 PMBased on a true story. It seems as though the multiplexes have been chock-full of these types of movies in recent months. It's not uncommon for studios and scriptwriters to rip their stories right out of the newspapers, but eventually enough is enough. This story, about real-life FBI spy Robert Hanssen and the man who brought him down, doesn't give us the answers to life nor does it tip the scales against real story movies. Better than that, it entertains and rivets, which is all we can really ask of a movie. Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe) is summoned to FBI headquarters on a Sunday morning to be "re-tasked." He is given a new assignment: ride the desk of respected agent Hanssen (Chris Cooper). There have been problems between him and female subordinates; he is, what Kate Burroughs (Lara Linney) calls, a sexual deviant, posting on pornographic websites and the like. But there is more to the story: eventually, Eric and his wife Juliana are treated like family by the Hanssens, bringing Eric into a spy ring which has allegedly cost the United States untold billions of dollars and at least 50 human lives. It is up to O'Neill to bring down the worst spy in American history while protecting his back at the same time. Before the first reel even begins winding its way through the projector, we already know how this story ends: Hanssen is caught, O'Neill is safe. Anyone with a working television knows that. Whatever lack of suspense this fact gives the movie is no fault of the movie's. It's a simple fact of true stories. For instance, when Eric is copying Hanssen's palm pilot in a race against the clock, we know he's not going to get caught. Later on, during a confrontation in a park (no spoilers since this is seen in the trailer), we know Hanssen doesn't fatally wound Eric. Knowing the outcome beforehand chips away at the level of drama director Billy Ray is trying to convey. Again, it's not Ray's fault or really a "fault"; it's a fact of these types of stories. What we do have here is an incredibly lean, fast-paced and well-done thriller without some of the usual thriller trademarks. There is one scene involving small amounts of blood, no real profanity, and one scene of sexuality which is all but covered up. In essence, Ray has put together a taut drama with a surprising performance from Phillippe that somehow knows to toe the line between clich&eacute; and reality. The real surprise here is Phillippe, who always seemed to be one or two rungs belong Leonardo DiCaprio on the Hollywood Acting Respect Scale. That's not to say Phillippe is a bad actor, but critics and audiences like to pick "pretty boy" actors apart for their movie choices. In this role, though, opposite Cooper, he has a better actor to play off of, someone to match what he throws out. Bar none, the best scenes in the movie are between Hanssen and O'Neill, based on the sheer tension they each bring to the situation. When the story veers away from the two male leads, "Breach" begins to loose its punch. The information we receive regarding Hanssen's meddling in Juliana and Eric's marriage is a facet of the story, but it's not what the audience came to see. Likewise the religious storyline. Why does it even matter? Arguments can be made stating this is a real event and the movie needed to get as close to it as possible. However, I'm sure other portions of the story were left out for dramatic purpose. Why was this kept in? The promotional material for "Breach" goes out of its way to mention the term "sexual deviant." It is featured so early and often in the trailer that you would think that portion of Hanssen's life was vital to the story. It's not. It's given extremely short thrift and, aside from a late scene involving videotape, it relegated to the background. A lot of the flaws committed in "true story" movies can be rationalized by saying we're watching a, well, true story. Leave out a part of the narrative and you're damned; include it, no matter how trivial it may seem, and you're damned. In the end, the only rational thing to do is to serve the story. The sexual deviant angle, while titillating and the first story Eric is given about his assignment, doesn't add anything to the film. Even the jarring videotape stands out. Why include this when there's really no good reason? Who did the tape go to? Why did it go out? Logically, the only reason for it to exist is as a test for Eric. If it got mailed, then Hanssen felt as though he could trust him. If not, he knew something was wrong. But we never get that type of information. It's simply there as a catalyst for an argument between Eric and Juliana. And if that's the only reason it exists/existed, then the audience needed more clarification on it. It sounds as though I'm bashing on "Breach," picking at its minor faults. That's not the case. This is still a movie that exceeded my expectations, especially considering the odds stacked against it. The positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to "Breach." There is very little fat to cut from the production: the film drops the audience into the story without much in the way of introductions and, outside of the aforementioned issues, doesn't allow itself to get distracted from the main plot. The best thing that can be said about any movie is that the audience was entertained, never thinking about the running time or the finale. I experienced that with "Breach." It is, simultaneously, riveting and entertaining. "Breach", starring Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe and Laura Linney, rates a 7 on the scale of 1 to 10. Some audiences may be put off by some references or dialog and there is a heavy religious subplot that might not play for everyone. However, if "Breach" is an example of what the studios will be releasing during the January/February doldrums, we're all in good shape. http://www.spout.com/blogs/mswallack/archive/2008/1/17/23993.aspx Post By: MSWallack
Post To: MSWallack Blog
Post Date: 1/17/2008 12:51:36 PM
Body: A "serious" spy movie. Thankfully, I didn't know much more than the basis of the Robert Hanssen investigation, so the story was new and fresh. Chris Cooper deserves a nomination for his portrayal of Hanssen.
]]>Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:51:36 GMTMSWallackMSWallack Blog1/17/2008 12:51:36 PMA &quot;serious&quot; spy movie. Thankfully, I didn&#39;t know much more than the basis of the Robert Hanssen investigation, so the story was new and fresh. Chris Cooper deserves a nomination for his portrayal of Hanssen. http://www.spout.com/blogs/christhilk/archive/2007/8/23/18607.aspx Post By: ChrisThilk
Post To: ChrisThilk Blog
Post Date: 8/23/2007 1:01:00 PM
Body: Breach is a pretty good example of how to do an understated, non-explosion driven espionage movie. While I would say it spends way too much time on the (tad ridiculous) self-impossed moral delimas faced by Ryan Phillipe's character it is an interesting procedural film. Chris Cooper looks throughout the film like a dog that is just mad at it the world. Caroline Dhavernas has a more or less thankless role as Phillipe's wife, to whom he JUST. CAN'T tell the truth of his assignment. Laura Linney, usually a shining star in any movie she's in, looks like she's just trying to rush through her scenes so she can get back to her trailer. The movie works more often than not, though and is worth a rental.
]]>Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:01:00 GMTChrisThilkChrisThilk Blog8/23/2007 1:01:00 PMBreach is a pretty good example of how to do an understated, non-explosion driven espionage movie. While I would say it spends way too much time on the (tad ridiculous) self-impossed moral delimas faced by Ryan Phillipe&#39;s character it is an interesting procedural film. Chris Cooper looks throughout the film like a dog that is just mad at it the world. Caroline Dhavernas has a more or less thankless role as Phillipe&#39;s wife, to whom he JUST. CAN&#39;T tell the truth of his assignment. Laura Linney, usually a shining star in any movie she&#39;s in, looks like she&#39;s just trying to rush through her scenes so she can get back to her trailer. The movie works more often than not, though and is worth a rental. http://www.spout.com/blogs/dibot/archive/2007/7/28/16750.aspx Post By: dibot
Post To: dibot Blog
Post Date: 7/28/2007 8:39:48 PM
Body: Breach is amazing. Showing that you don't have to have a lot of flash to be tight and tense. Chris Cooper ("The Bourne Ultimatum") is rock solid as FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who is under investigation for selling secrets to the Soviets. Ryan Phillippe ("Flags of Our Fathers")'s up-and-coming agent is assigned to spy on Hanssen. And the mind games and power plays begin. Based on actual events, this film is very interesting. One of the best of 2007, thus far.
]]>Sun, 29 Jul 2007 00:39:48 GMTdibotdibot Blog7/28/2007 8:39:48 PMBreach is amazing. Showing that you don&#39;t have to have a lot of flash to be tight and tense. Chris Cooper (&quot;The Bourne Ultimatum&quot;) is rock solid as FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who is under investigation for selling secrets to the Soviets. Ryan Phillippe (&quot;Flags of Our Fathers&quot;)&#39;s up-and-coming agent is assigned to spy on Hanssen. And the mind games and power plays begin. Based on actual events, this film is very interesting. One of the best of 2007, thus far. http://www.spout.com/blogs/tlemus/archive/2007/7/5/13194.aspx Post By: tlemus
Post To: tlemus Blog
Post Date: 7/5/2007 5:45:14 PM
Body: I couldn't be more excited of writting my thoughts on this great film. Breach is definitely not what you would consider an ordinary thriller. There are no huge explossions, carchases, karate kicks, etc. However, you are on the edge of your seat throughout the whole movie, being drawn to it by the incredible story of one traitor and his pursuit.This movie wouldn't be what it is without the amazing portrayal of Robert Hansen that Chris Cooper made. He really grabs you with a very subtle but intense performance. Film after film where he is in, really reinforces my belief that he is one of the best actors we have today. This movie is about intensity. The intensity you can feel within Hanssen as he is closing a chapter of continuos betrayal to his country, which has expanded for several years. The intensity of the investigation and pursuit by the Bureau's team lead by a very focused performance by Laura Linney. And the main relationship between Hanssen and Eric O'Neil, who was portrayed by Ryan Phillippe in what could be a saving role to his average acting career. This realtionship between this two men is like a cat and mouse. But it is an interesting chase in which both suspect something is not right, but they don't know how involved they are in this chase.This movie is baes in actual fact, and this is what makes this movie so terrifying, and it's a must for all aficionados of intelligent suspense movies.
]]>Thu, 05 Jul 2007 21:45:14 GMTtlemustlemus Blog7/5/2007 5:45:14 PMI couldn't be more excited of writting my thoughts on this great film. Breach is definitely not what you would consider an ordinary thriller. There are no huge explossions, carchases, karate kicks, etc. However, you are on the edge of your seat throughout the whole movie, being drawn to it by the incredible story of one traitor and his pursuit.This movie wouldn't be what it is without the amazing portrayal of Robert Hansen that Chris Cooper made. He really grabs you with a very subtle but intense performance. Film after film where he is in, really reinforces my belief that he is one of the best actors we have today. This movie is about intensity. The intensity you can feel within Hanssen as he is closing a chapter of continuos betrayal to his country, which has expanded for several years. The intensity of the investigation and pursuit by the Bureau's team lead by a very focused performance by Laura Linney. And the main relationship between Hanssen and Eric O'Neil, who was portrayed by Ryan Phillippe in what could be a saving role to his average acting career. This realtionship between this two men is like a cat and mouse. But it is an interesting chase in which both suspect something is not right, but they don't know how involved they are in this chase.This movie is baes in actual fact, and this is what makes this movie so terrifying, and it's a must for all aficionados of intelligent suspense movies. http://www.spout.com/blogs/littlemisspinkspider/archive/2007/7/3/12948.aspx Post By: littlemisspinkspider
Post To: littlemisspinkspider Blog
Post Date: 7/3/2007 2:45:17 PM
Body: This movie disappointed me. I thought it was going to be an action packed thriller. Instead it drug on and was very boring. The only thing good about this movie was Eric played by Ryan Phillippe.
]]>Tue, 03 Jul 2007 18:45:17 GMTlittlemisspinkspiderlittlemisspinkspider Blog7/3/2007 2:45:17 PMThis movie disappointed me. I thought it was going to be an action packed thriller. Instead it drug on and was very boring. The only thing good about this movie was Eric played by Ryan Phillippe. http://www.spout.com/blogs/slipofthetongue/archive/2007/6/25/12023.aspx Post By: slipofthetongue
Post To: SlipOfTheTongue Blog
Post Date: 6/25/2007 2:35:00 AM
Body: Robert Hanssen will go down in history as one of the biggest traitors the U.S. has ever known. This betrayal can be measured in both lives and dollars (billions to be exact). His breach of U.S. security by selling secrets to the Soviet Union leaves behind a legacy of damage to the U.S. intelligence community which will take years to mend. BREACH (the story of Hanssen's tracking and arrest) is told from a more personal point of view. Chris Cooper plays F.B.I. agent Hanssen as a wounded lion. He brings a sympathetic, yet sickly quality to the part. Hanssen is a man whose appetite for sexual deviancy and machiavellianism has been well documented but here he is also portrayed as devout and idealistic. Ryan Phillippe plays Eric O'Neill, the young F.B.I. operative whose ambition to become an agent unwittingly leads him into a cat and mouse game with this notorious figure. The assignment causes problems in O'Neill's marriage and makes him second guess the wisdom of having a career with the F.B.I. Whether we choose to sympathize with Hanssen or not, the idea that we could see him as a wounded idealist gives the movie a sympathetic flavor. O'Neill, who is forced to lie to his wife and to Hanssen (who trusts him) suffers a similar loss of idealism. He is a mirror for the damaged soul we see trapped behind Cooper's huge, tortured eyes. It is a fascinating premise, that Hanssen had reasons to do what he did. We get hints that he is driven by a need to please a cold and impersonal father long since dead. We are also shown that Hanssen felt contempt for bureaucracy and wished he had been better recognized by the Bureau over the years. Another idea, barely given screen time, is that people with twisted, intricate minds simply cannot refuse to play the game, to have a chance outwit others. The drive would then be to commit the perfect crime. The problem I have with BREACH is precisely that we see Hanssen as such a sympathetic human being. Because we sympathize with Hanssen it becomes difficult to fear him, thus there is a squandered sense of jeopardy. Despite O'Neill's assertion that perhaps he is not smart enough to outwit Hanssen, he does so at every turn. Though we all know that Hanssen will be caught, a greater cat and mouse game would have been nice. At the risk of tampering with history, one wonders if a bit more action could have been brought to the page. It would have been nice to see why Hanssen was supposedly so formidable. The film is still engaging and it is nearly impossible to take your eyes off Cooper. Phillippe holds his own and Laura Linney does an admirable job as O'Neill's supervisor during the operation. Caroline Dhavernas plays O'Neill's wife and though she is rarely on screen, her character comes rather vividly to life during whenever she and Phillippe have a scene. The music by Mychael Danna is also quite good.Why did Hanssen do it? The point of this film seems to be that while people have reasons for doing the things they do, in the end reasons don't matter in this world. We are the sum total of our actions and nothing can change that. But what kind of movie would we have if we didn't illuminate some of the creepy and fun details along the way?
]]>Mon, 25 Jun 2007 06:35:00 GMTslipofthetongueSlipOfTheTongue Blog6/25/2007 2:35:00 AMRobert Hanssen will go down in history as one of the biggest traitors the U.S. has ever known. This betrayal can be measured in both lives and dollars (billions to be exact). His breach of U.S. security by selling secrets to the Soviet Union leaves behind a legacy of damage to the U.S. intelligence community which will take years to mend. BREACH (the story of Hanssen&#39;s tracking and arrest) is told from a more personal point of view. Chris Cooper plays F.B.I. agent Hanssen as a wounded lion. He brings a sympathetic, yet sickly quality to the part. Hanssen is a man whose appetite for sexual deviancy and machiavellianism has been well documented but here he is also portrayed as devout and idealistic. Ryan Phillippe plays Eric O&#39;Neill, the young F.B.I. operative whose ambition to become an agent unwittingly leads him into a cat and mouse game with this notorious figure. The assignment causes problems in O&#39;Neill&#39;s marriage and makes him second guess the wisdom of having a career with the F.B.I. Whether we choose to sympathize with Hanssen or not, the idea that we could see him as a wounded idealist gives the movie a sympathetic flavor. O&#39;Neill, who is forced to lie to his wife and to Hanssen (who trusts him) suffers a similar loss of idealism. He is a mirror for the damaged soul we see trapped behind Cooper&#39;s huge, tortured eyes. It is a fascinating premise, that Hanssen had reasons to do what he did. We get hints that he is driven by a need to please a cold and impersonal father long since dead. We are also shown that Hanssen felt contempt for bureaucracy and wished he had been better recognized by the Bureau over the years. Another idea, barely given screen time, is that people with twisted, intricate minds simply cannot refuse to play the game, to have a chance outwit others. The drive would then be to commit the perfect crime. The problem I have with BREACH is precisely that we see Hanssen as such a sympathetic human being. Because we sympathize with Hanssen it becomes difficult to fear him, thus there is a squandered sense of jeopardy. Despite O&#39;Neill&#39;s assertion that perhaps he is not smart enough to outwit Hanssen, he does so at every turn. Though we all know that Hanssen will be caught, a greater cat and mouse game would have been nice. At the risk of tampering with history, one wonders if a bit more action could have been brought to the page. It would have been nice to see why Hanssen was supposedly so formidable. The film is still engaging and it is nearly impossible to take your eyes off Cooper. Phillippe holds his own and Laura Linney does an admirable job as O&#39;Neill&#39;s supervisor during the operation. Caroline Dhavernas plays O&#39;Neill&#39;s wife and though she is rarely on screen, her character comes rather vividly to life during whenever she and Phillippe have a scene. The music by Mychael Danna is also quite good.Why did Hanssen do it? The point of this film seems to be that while people have reasons for doing the things they do, in the end reasons don&#39;t matter in this world. We are the sum total of our actions and nothing can change that. But what kind of movie would we have if we didn&#39;t illuminate some of the creepy and fun details along the way? http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/brilliant/MemberTagFilms.aspxbrilliant
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