Barnes & Noble

Thrillers almost always require some suspension of disbelief, but the really good ones -- those blessed with clever and intricate scripting, imaginative direction, and carefully grounded performances -- seem the least implausible and therefore the most compelling. The Recruit is one such thriller, a riveting cat-and-mouse affair with a narrative that twists around and then back upon itself like a Möbius strip. Al Pacino's trademark tics and excesses make him uniquely suited to portray Walter Burke, a flamboyant CIA operative spending his declining years as a recruiter for the Agency. Up-and-coming Colin Farrell, who's just as cocky as Pacino was in his post-Godfather period, plays James Clayton, an intellectually nimble rookie in whom Burke detects tremendous ability. For that reason, the old agent gives his protégé a dangerous assignment: Fellow trainee Layla (Bridget Moynahan) is suspected of being a "mole" ordered to burrow deep into the American intelligence community, and Clayton -- whose attraction to the slinky seductress has been noted by Burke -- is presented the task of exposing her. Director Roger Donaldson (No Way Out), an old hand at the crafting of cinematic suspense, maintains perfect pacing, lingering on scenes necessary to establish vital plot points and zipping through those that might otherwise give viewers an occasion to reflect on the sheer improbability of it all. The depiction of superspy training exercises initially comes off as rather fanciful but, in the context of the evolving story, ultimately seems believable. In the end, though, story gyrations and directorial legerdemain aren't as important to The Recruit as the performances of its two stars, Pacino and Farrell, old Hollywood and young Hollywood, meeting and matching wits. If you enjoy complex spy stories with visceral action, nail-biting suspense, and a palpable sense of danger, this Recruit is one you'll want to enlist right away. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

A brilliant young man is tapped to join the elite branch of American intelligence, only to discover how complex and dangerous the job can really be in this suspense-drama. James Clayton (Colin Farrell) recently completed his studies at MIT, where he graduated at the top of his class and is pondering his next move while he works as a bartender at an upscale nightspot. One evening, Clayton is approached by Walter Burke (Al Pacino), a recruiter for the Central Intelligence Agency, who describes himself as "a scary judge of talent" and believes Clayton is just the sort of man the CIA is looking for. Clayton, who has little interest in an ordinary nine-to-five career and suspects his father (whom Burke claims to have known) worked for the Agency, accepts the offer and is soon sent to the CIA's secret training camp. It soon becomes obvious that Burke's intuition has not failed him; Clayton is smart, fast on his feet, a crack shot, and possesses a very agile mind. In training, Clayton notices a few things, most notably one of his fellow students, Layla (Bridget Moynahan), a beautiful woman whose skills equal his own. Clayton becomes quite infatuated with Layla, and after a fashion the attraction appears to be mutual, but Clayton has to keep in mind Burke's dictum that "nothing is as it seems," especially when Clayton is given a special assignment -- find the mole within the Agency's training program who is actually feeding information to America's enemies. Mark Deming

Entertainment Weekly

A CIA thriller that plays some very tricky and entertaining spy games. Owen Gleiberman

New York Post

In the explosive Pacino and the smoldering Farrell, [The Recruit] has a pair of stars who are not easily dismissed. Lou Lumenick

Product Details

• UPC: 786936726718
• Source: TOUCHSTONE / DISNEY
• Region Code: ABC
• Aspect Ratio: Cinemascope (2.35:1)
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English, Español
• Subtitles: Español
• Time: 1:55:00
• Sales Rank: 33,087

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