Glucedee It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.
Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful
Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.
Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
juneebuggy This was pretty good for such a dry, slow-burning movie, it drags at times but still manages to keep a level of tension and suspense going throughout and I id end up really enjoying this. Ultimately it was the strong performances from both Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillippe that saved this for me.Cooper is intense and creepy here displaying a range of mystique. Laura Linney as his handler was quite bitchy. Ryan plays an FBI Trainee who is assigned to keep en eye on a fellow agent suspected of selling information to the soviets. Its his first real case and initially he's not even sure what he's looking for. 7/17/14
patrick powell Whenever a film I am about to watch is prefaced by the legend 'based on a true story' or a variation of such, my heart sinks. And usually it sinks with good reason. The legend is almost always a studio device to acquire a little something extra for its film, usually duplicitously, which it doesn't deserve. Breach, thank goodness, is the exception which proves the rule.Robert Hannsen, here irably and interestingly played by Chris Cooper, was a real-life traitor who is now serving life without parole in jail for his treachery. We also know that he was or purported to be - given the unfathomable enigma he presents to this day, how can we know what is true? - a devout Roman Catholic, that he secretly taped videos of himself having sex with his wife and ed the tapes on to a friend, and that to date his only apparent motive for betraying his country and colleagues was money.So far so enigmatic and the raw material of Hannsen's treachery could have made any number of different kinds of films. Director Billy Ray and his scriptwriters take that material and make a rather good film. (I was, by the way, encouraged to watch Breach when I saw that it also stars Laura Linney - I have, to date, not seen her in anything but good and interesting films.) Without grandstanding, fake excitement, car chases or gratuitous sex and violence Ray has made an engrossing film which doesn't strike a single wrong note and oozes suspense - even though we all know what's going to happen. And that in my book constitutes a class act. We are drawn into Ryan Phillippe's dilemma that he cannot tell his wife the truth about his work even though it is in danger of doing serious damage to his marriage. We are drawn into Cooper's weirdly paranoid world and even allowed a suggestion at what might have set him on the road to treachery. But these elements are irably played - there is no fake drama at all.So sorry all you guys and gals who like a bit of 'action' in your 'spy' films, you ain't going to get it with Breach. But you will get and intelligent, quite gripping drama of a kind not often made.
Bene Cumb As we had a similar case in Estonia some years ago (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Simm), it was interesting to watch this movie - and I found lots of similarities between the Hanssen and Simm cases: making fuss about petty things and strict relationships with subordinates, for instance. The plot is intense, all actor are good or great (beginning with Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillipe, whose mutual dialogs are full of intensity and exactness). Even if you know the result, it is fascinating to monitor the events leading to this solution.However, it is still awkward how a person with such experience (Hanssen) was not suspicious in his new job and new room; a "contra-cam" could have disclosed already initiated investigations.Well, recommended to those fond of "silent spying".
elihuevalerio 'Breach' is one of those rare movies that just gets better and better the more you watch it. Based on the true story of the worst security breach in U.S. history, it is a captivating, enthralling tale that proves that truth truly is stranger than fiction.First off, the movie succeeds at keeping us guessing and wondering, even though we already know how the story ends. Not an easy feat. Secondly, the film is a unique blend of a spy thriller and a character drama. While it is a movie about a spy, it's not a "spy movie" by standard stereotype. There are no car chases or shootout scenes. Instead, the film uses a more low-key type of suspense, which engrosses viewers through its realism--and possibly creates an even greater tension that way.The third element of the film is the casting/acting. All the actors fit their roles perfectly. Chris Cooper embodies Robert Hanssen, portraying a very complex villain objectively and with sensitivity. His performance was seriously overlooked by the Academy. If he can win for "Adaptation" (which was a great performance but, in my opinion, inferior to this one), he should have at least received a nomination for this one. Ryan Phillippe does a fine job as the film's protagonist, portraying the rookie pulled in all directions, struggling with life, trust, marriage, and wondering what his next move should be. Laura Linney is superb, as always, giving a tough performance as the agent in charge. She does have a few lines with a sort of dry sense of humor, which adds a bit of a light touch to an otherwise deep and serious film. The rest of the ing cast is excellent as well and fit their roles perfectly.The fourth (and possibly strongest) aspect that makes 'Breach' succeed so highly is its portrayal of Robert Hanssen. A great deal of that is owed to Cooper, but the filmmakers also had a hand in it. Hanssen is not demonized. Although his actions are grave and at times repulsive, we are shown a tender, family-oriented side of him. He is also seen as a faithful church-goer who probably does believe his religion, but his actions and choices make him very complicated to understand. In the end, we feel everything from disappointment to repulsiveness to confusion to fascination and, yes, even pity toward his character. Maybe not pity for him, per se, but pity for the fact that his actions had such dire consequences on so many people.All-in-all, a well-rounded film that is sure to stick with you long after the end credits roll. To those who feel that this film was slow or boring, you obviously were expecting something else or either can't handle a more realistic spy movie. Sure, high-octane spy films are great, but it's the mesmerizing true stories that truly shine.
