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I’m never
going to be nominated for President of the Al Pacino fan club.
His neurotic shtick has gotten far too tiresome.
That said, The Recruit is a fast-paced 105-minute thriller directed
by Roger Donaldson, who knows what he’s doing.
Donaldson has kept Pacino’s annoying mannerisms under wraps for
the most part, and the understated music (Klaus Badelt) keeps you aware
that there’s something sinister lurking throughout.
James Clayton
(Colin Farrell, who sports another one of those two-day stubbles that
never grows and is never shaved) is a computer expert who has developed a
unique computer program. He’s recruited by Walter Burke (Pacino) to join the CIA,
where he almost immediately meets, and is attracted to, the gorgeous Layla
(Bridget Moynahan, who looks like an Ashley Judd clone), another recruit.
While they are being trained and trying to keep from washing out,
the music keeps reminding us that there’s an undercurrent of something
of which we are not aware. Making
the film even more enjoyable, there’s no gratuitous violence, no
profanity, and no nudity or free sex.
Well written,
ably directed, and professionally acted, the pleasure of this movie is in
not knowing exactly what’s going on, so I’m not going to say any more,
except that my attention never waned.
February 9, 2003
The End
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