The Recruit Movie
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Storyline
TAGLINES
Trust. Betrayal. Deception. In the C.I.A. nothing is what it seems.
In an era when the country's first line of defense, intelligence, is more important than ever, this story opens the CIA's infamous closed doors and gives an insider's view into the Agency: how trainees are recruited, how they are prepared for the spy game, and what they learn to survive. James Clayton might not have the attitude of a typical recruit, but he is one of the smartest graduating seniors in the country - and he's just the person that Walter Burke wants in the Agency. James regards the CIA's mission as an intriguing alternative to an ordinary life, but before he becomes an Ops Officer, James has to survive the Agency's secret training ground, where green recruits are molded into seasoned veterans. As Burke teaches him the ropes and the rules of the game, James quickly rises through the ranks and falls for Layla, one of his fellow recruits. But just when James starts to question his role and his cat-and-mouse relationship with his mentor, Burke taps him for a special assignment to root out a mole. As the suspense builds toward a gripping climax, it soon becomes clear that the CIA's old maxims are true: "trust no one" and "nothing is what it seems."
| Al Pacino | Walter Burke |
| Colin Farrell | James Douglas Clayton |
| Bridget Moynahan | Layla Moore |
| Gabriel Macht | Zack |
| Kenneth Mitchell | Alan |
| Mike Realba | Ronnie Gibson |
| Ron Lea | Bill Rudolph, Dell Rep |
| Karl Pruner | Dennis Slayne |
| Domenico Fiore | Instructor #1 |
| Jeanie Calleja | Co-Ed #1 |
| Jessica Greco | Brunette at Blue Ridge |
| Angelo Tsarouchas | Cab Driver |
| Veronica Hurnick | Polygraph Interrogator |
| Eugene Lipinski | Husky Man |
| Steve Lucescu | Instructor #2 |
| Roger Donaldson |
6.50 out of 10 (21875 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Hack job
posted on 23 Jul 2009Neither one of the two co-writers of this film are CIA washouts, I assume, since they've both had experience over the years doing other things (I checked). Still, this script has the feel of someone who washed out of the program after about two hours and felt like he knew enough to hack out a script about it. And that's basically what The Recruit is: a film about the CIA training program. Any semblence of a plot and third act were likely tacked on during a session of heavy drug use by the writers.First, the good: Al Pacino is watchable in practically anything, and Colin Farrell is watchable, at least in this instance. And...well, that's it, I guess.As for the bad and the ugly, the problem lies entirely within the script.
It is utterly amateurish. Anyone who thinks that this is how the CIA operates is as childish as the writers. People like the character Farrell plays in this film (and the character Tom Cruise plays in The Firm) do not exist. You know, the person who manages to be a top of the class student while busting their A** at a thankless job while coming up with some way to change the world while balancing a love life and finding time to work out.
Film characters like this are just like the supermodels that every girl wishes they looked like. Problem is, neither one is real. Pacino plays basically the same character he's played in every film over the last ten or twenty years: a blue collar type with above average intellegence that always has something clever to say and likes to get angry.
Its an old act, and it's made worse by the ridiculous things he does and says in this film, especially near the end. Veiled spoilers: Speaking of the end, this is yet another in a long line of films that likes to use surprise endings. Only this script is like a drunken driver that keeps swerving all over the road. No sooner than the script twists in one direction, it twists in another. If we've learned anything from twist endings, it's that ONE GOOD TWIST is all you need. If you've built up a solid story to what appears to be a respectable conclusion, a dramatic twist works well. But in the Recruit, the writers use about three or four minor twists to try to hide the fact that their plot makes no sense, and to try and get us to forget what we've seen up until each particular twist. What makes the whole thing even worse is that you know the twists are coming. At no point in the third act did I think "This is it". I knew the hacks still had more up their sleeves.I don't think a spy film has EVER been made that has (probably) accurately portrayed the life of a spy. Every one of them has to be a Bond film, or a facsimile thereof. They're all retreads. Just once, I'd like to see someone put some real thought and effort into a spy story. Hold the cliches and stupid love stories. Definitely, no spy film has ever been made without a love interest.
star-making vehicle for Colin Farrell
posted on 03 Jul 2009'The Recruit' is an efficiently tooled espionage thriller starring Al Pacino as a high-ranking CIA operative whose job it is to mold a promising young trainee, played by Colin Farrell, into genuine spy material. Bridget Moynihan rounds out the cast as a beautiful fellow student who may or may not be a mole trying to plant a devastating computer virus into the organization's computer system. Finding out the truth about her becomes the neophyte agent's first 'assignment.'The Roger Towne/Kurt Wimmer/Mitch Glazer screenplay is high on atmosphere and low on credibility as it attempts to combine mystery, romance and pseudo-documentary realism into a single unified whole. It doesn't always work, primarily because much of what we see the characters doing defies logic and credibility (these 'spies' seem abnormally foolish at times). Be that as it may, the film succeeds as innocuous entertainment if you don't go into it with abnormally high expectations. The film does have some fun with the issue of trust, as Farrell is forced to figure out what is real and what is a 'test,' who is on the level and who isn't. The 'surprise' turnabout at the end really isn't much of a surprise, particularly to anyone who has seen 'Charade' or any of its countless imitators. At least, Pacino and Moynihan are both effective in their roles, even though the script doesn't give them all that much to work with.'The Recruit,' given its generally disposable nature, would probably sink rather quickly into cinematic oblivion were it not for one all-important aspect: its star Colin Farrell. This young actor has appeared in a number of noteworthy films in the past (including Spielberg's 'Minority Report' last summer), but 'The Recruit' will probably come to be seen as his breakout film, the one that puts him on the road to superstardom. For the first time, Farrell commands the screen in a way that far outshines the quality of his material and he makes the film his own. He has a kind of bad-boy impishness coupled with a sensitivity and vulnerability that jump right off the screen. That combined with his smoldering good looks virtually guarantees him a long and fruitful career as a Hollywood big shot.It's not often that a comparative rookie is able to hold his own, let alone steal the spotlight from a high-powered veteran like Pacino, but Farrell does so here.Thus, even though 'The Recruit' is a pretty dispensable film in its own right, it provides us with the chance to witness the birth of a new star, a movie supernova if you will. And you can take that prediction to the bank.
Training Course That Binds With Reality
posted on 29 Jun 2009THE RECRUIT ***1/2 Only when you take this modernistic, energetic slice of cinema as a simple "What if?" entertainment will you enjoy it. Colin Farrell plays a newly-recruited CIA boy wonder admitted to a training camp where students are turned into crack secret agents. Al Pacino is the senior instructor at the school, who puts his students through intense practice scenarios - only they sometimes appear as outside-of-training events - to perfect their work. When Farrell's training course seems to resemble a little too much to his reality, he cannot make sense of it. Plenty of here-and-now storyline, but it somehow lacks the substance it needs for it to be wholly clever.
it may not be a testament to its worth...
posted on 21 Jun 2009...but i was falling asleep a lot during this movie. it was late, i had gotten up early, and i was drinking a noncaffeinated beverage but The Recruit just didn't do it for me. Al Pacino is always cool, and the idea of a female agent sure was a nice politically correct bone to throw at a cynical feminist film critic such as myself but it really didn't have much substance. or maybe i was just too tired. in any case, i wouldn't recommend it to someone, but i might consider renting it and watch it again when it comes out on video, like if i had a free rental and all the Tarantino films were checked out
Everything Is A Test
posted on 19 Jun 2009In an era when the country's first line of defense, human intelligence, is more important than ever, comes a thriller that gives an insider's view into the CIA's secret training ground: The Farm. James Clayton (Colin Farrell) might not have the attitude of a typical recruit, but he is one of the smartest graduating seniors in the country – and he's just the person that Walter Burke (acting GOD Al Pacino) wants in the Agency. James regards the CIA's mission as an intriguing alternative to an ordinary life, but before he becomes an Ops Officer, James has to survive the Farm, where the veteran Burke teaches him the ropes and the rules of the game. James quickly rises through the ranks and falls for Layla (Bridget Moynahan), one of his fellow recruits. But just when James starts to question his role and decides to "wash out," Burke taps him for a special assignment to root out a mole. As the suspense builds toward a gripping climax, it soon becomes clear that at The Farm, the CIA's old maxims are true: "trust no one" and "nothing is as it seems."If you want to see an Academy Award winning movie, don't see this. If you want an entertaining, espionage film starring the greatest actor of all time and his protege, a future star...watch this. "Everything is a test."
Enjoyable thriller that's worth watching
posted on 17 Jun 2009The Recruit is not a top notch thriller but its still pretty enjoyable. A CIA recruiter (Pacino) recruits a gifted computer wiz (Farrell) to join the agency; then enlists his help in finding a mole in the agency. The plot is nothing new and it's a fairly simple story to follow. The Recruit is very by the numbers as the writers don't really try anything new. Even though this thriller is still well made and offers up some thrilling moments. The cast isn't top notch, however, the acting is still pretty good. The best is Al Pacino, who is one of the best actors ever and he gives a very good performance. Colin Farrell is also very good and will one day be a much bigger star. He has also shown he is a good actor with this and Phone Booth. Bridget Moynahan stars as Layla, her performance was good just not as good as the other main stars. Roger Donaldson directs and he does a good job at keeping the film at a nice pace. He has also directed some nice films in the past including Thirteen Days. The dialog is smart and funny. The script is a little weak though. I think the film could have been better if they didn't go by the numbers so much. The film is pretty predictable and you have seen everything before. The Recruits is still worth watching as long as you don't make that mistake of thinking too much. If you do then you will be pretty bored for nearly two hours. The film is very fun to watch even if its running time is 115 minutes long. In the end, this film isn't really worth watching unless your in the need for a decent thriller. Rating 7/10, The Recruit is watch able enough and enjoyable enough and a good time is bound to be had.
very predictable
posted on 15 Jun 2009It was depressing. The movie started out with promise. It had some interesting turns during the training sequences (well, one anyway) that I did not foresee. But from the moment the guys "washed out" the plot was truly predictable. I figured it out LONG before it was revealed. This was a disappointment. Colin Ferrel has chops. I liked him WAY better than Moynahan and Paccino. Paccino seems to have lost his range. Not a bad rental, but I won't watch this more than once or twice.
average,cookie cutter action/suspense/pseudo espionage movie
posted on 09 Jun 2009the recruit is an okay movie,i guess.certainly nothing spectacular.there are some suspenseful moments in the movie.however the plot was much too complicated to the point of absurdity.this movie felt like it should have been released directly to video.it was your run of the mill action/suspense movie,(with some espionage) with nothing new or original.the suspenseful moments had all been done before,as good or better.the acting was okay,at best,given what the actors had to work with.the dialogue would not win any awards,and the screenplay was basically a knock off of many other,superior movies.truth be told, there wasn't really any reason to make this movie and so i can't give it a glowing recommendation. 5/10 at best
At least the middle was good....
posted on 05 Jun 2009If you take off the beginning and the last five
minutes or so o the film, and you actually
have a pretty decent movie on your hands.
First of all, I won't ruin it for anyone, but
the beginning is just too quick and unrealistic.
One second Colin Farrell is a genius/jock/bartender
and the next he is training to be in the CIA.
It was like some weird slight of hand trick.
And the ending! Just walk out for the past
five minutes, for Al Pacino just absolutely
provides some of the crummiest and most
clichéd dialogue I have seen in a long time.
So show up late and arrive early, because
the middle sequences are just absolutely
brilliant. Sometimes funny, and often times
cool, just stay for the beefy and tasteful
middle section of the film.
It's ok. Not bad, but...
posted on 01 Jun 2009I just can't get too excited about this movie, but I did enjoy it.Pacino is good in his role, so is Farrell and the chick - forget her name, but she's very attractive...good actor too apparently!I think Tony Scott should have directed it! It needed a bit more visual style, which is what makes 'Enemy of the State' and 'Spy Game' so good - the brilliant cinematics. Stuart Dryburgh (cinematographer) should have been able to make it look better. And the screenplay and writing I feel could have used a bit more punch - some deeper more daring scenes, more depth and bite. It wasn't dark and controversial enough. And the poetic license stands out a bit too much in regards to the CIA training.But I did enjoy the DVD. I liked the twists and turns and all the "nothing is as it seems" stuff. Entertaining. 6 / 10
Fails to satisfy the lowest expectations
posted on 14 Apr 2009"Hello. I'm a bland, unlikable character portrayed in a bland, unlikable manner." "Hello. I, too, am bland, unlikable, and portrayed in a bland, unlikable manner." "We have just met this week and have no discernible on-screen chemistry, but I am so in love, I would die for you."Film exec [blowing air out through lips]: "Geez, y'think if we threw Pacino in this it might save it?"It didn't.Flavor-of-last-month Colin Ferell tries to act his cutest alongside a woman who appears to be a coked-up, anorexic nail-polish model (well, she damn sure isn't an actress). I suppose he's a pretty good looking guy--good for him. He's alarmingly aware of it. Anyway, as he does this, an increasingly lame and predictable plot unfolds itself, where love and intrigue intertwine and produce a true classic for our...our...I'm sorry, what were we talking about? Good ol' Al ties a big napkin around his neck and chews scenery like there's no tomorrow--making this probably the 40,000th terrible movie he's attempted to save on the strength of his talent alone. He almost never succeeds in this, but watching him try is always such a pleasure (see "Any Given Sunday"). His presence and skill are a joy to watch, but here they just seem to highlight the weaknesses of Ferrell.Who is this guy anyway? OK, I get it, he's cute and Irish, he does cute interviews where he talks openly about drinking (big f***in' deal. Jack Nicholson drinks more for breakfast than this punk does for St. Patty's.).
What got lost in our rush to embrace him and throw him on the cover of entertainment magazines was the fact that he's a sadly inadequate and shallow performer, completely incapable of carrying a vehicle picture like this. And it's only a spy movie, for God's sake--you don't have to be Bogart or anything, just Tom Cruise or Harrison Ford.Even outside of Ferrell, there's very little to like about this film. It plays like a Fisher Price "My First Spy Movie," with a story as interesting as its characters and direction that completely fails to inject urgency into a single inch of celluloid. The dialogue is perhaps the worst part--I saw it on a plane and I think the guy ahead of me got sick of me banging my head on his seat.
Exciting suspense film about spies and double agents.
posted on 10 Apr 2009This film has all the criteria I look for in a good movie: good acting, well-paced action, and an interesting plot with a few twists added to keep you guessing. I definitely recommend it.Al Pacino, what can you say? The guy is just good. Here he plays a CIA manager who recruits a dubious computer expert (Colin Farrell) to enter the agent trainee program. He seduces the young man with the adventure of becoming a spy for his country, hints that his father was a spook also and that he's born for the job. But is he recruiting or manipulating the new guy?Pacino dominates the film like the excellent actor that he is. He's the father figure mentoring the new recruit, he's the cold manager evaluating the new talent, he's the enigma behind the plot of who's betraying the CIA.
He is both forceful and suggestive, which when one thinks about it, are the perfect character traits of a successful agent.Colin Farrell plays the young recruit being mentored by Pacino, and he hands in a very good performance. He kinda reminds me of a cross between Russell Crowe and Brad Pitt in that he's capable of portraying a gruff action hero as well as a sensitive heartthrob. He's not the star of this movie despite top billing, but he does seem destined for stardom.Bridget Moynahan plays Farrell's love interest at the Farm, the place where agents are trained. She also performs her part well, handling the romantic side as well as being convincing as an agent in the field.The movie doesn't break any new ground in the genre of action films, but it is well-done nonetheless and is definitely worth watching.
Totally predictable
posted on 06 Apr 2009As I went into the movie, the usher whispered to me confidentially, "remember, things aren't what they appear". Ahah! I thought. A suspenseful film. Unfortunately, things were entirely what they appeared and you could figure things out in the previews let alone the film. Pacino is in a rut. Did he once know how to act? It's been so long. He's becoming a caricature of himself. "The Recruit" is another example of how Hollywood seems to fear originality. This thing was written with a slide rule. Boooorrrring. Seems like only David Mamet can create films where things really aren't what they seem.
Draggin towards the end........
posted on 29 Mar 2009Al Pacino and Colin have done well in the movie..........except for the last 10 mins, the movie does well......The movie starts exceptionally fast and slows down int he middle and that makes it gripping and intense...but the long dialogues on a fast paced film do not go together....
Not very impressed with movie....
posted on 27 Mar 2009I was happy I borrowed a video from the library for free to see this movie, and did not spend fourteen dollars to see this crap in the cinema. It was like another mass produced Hollywood movie with well known actors Colin Farrel and Al Pacino, but frankly did not see much substance in the film as it seemed too artificial for the most part. I thought it was a weak movie with well known actors playing leading roles for it to be a money-maker.However, it did have 'plot' twists and elements on it that would leave you guessing as to who is doing what and keep the viewer up in the air, and that would leave it to be a satisfactory movie. That would be 10-20% of the movie that I would consider 'good' - where 'nothing' is at it seems it is.Well - I guess a good-movie is one where when you watch it, you do not see it as actors saying lines and putting on a performance or see it as some cheap attempt to make an attention-grabbing story. It may have had some good twists to the plot - which is why I gave it a 5 star (or satisfactory) rating, but did not leave me convinced that I actually 'went' somewhere.
Mildly thrilling thriller
posted on 23 Mar 2009This movie was a bit of a let-down, mainly because of the slow moving plot.Al Pacino was very good. The twists in the plot were well played out, but, sadly, it didn't move fast enough.Needed more action, and less development on the romance between James and Leyla.** out of *****
Great film, very well casted, unexpected and constantly twisted!
posted on 21 Mar 2009Contains spoiler well I went to watch The Recruit two days ago, coz it seemed worth watching, I mean- look at the cast! the so fresh so clean new born Hollywood talent- Collin Farrell together with Al Pacino (which is my personal favourite)- can't be disappointing! so I gotta say- it certainly wasn't! The Recruit is a well done movie, with a good cast of actors, with unexpected plot twists, and of course as usual there's love involved and emotional conflicts. Pacino, is once again the "mentor" character, the speaker, the one with what I call- the SS which means Smart Slogans- like the well known CIA mantras- i.e "things are not always what they seem to be" and "trust yourself". although Pacino seems a bit tired in this movie- Is it because of the age? or because of the roll? well you'll have to judge that for yourselves, but I guess he just likes playing those rolls, and maybe the tiresome act is part of his style (those of you who have seen Insomnia must know what I'm talking about). Concerning Farrell, I have to say- the future holds for him alot of starring rolls- I was impressed (and I'm NOT talking about his gorgeous face or his abs)... but there was some small flaw in the way the actors acted in this film- their acting was professional, yet not impressive and moving (I'm talking about the whole picture in general) **spoilers alert** I must say, I enjoyed the ending- when we find out that Pacino is actually the traitor/double agent and when we see that it IS about money, nuthin' else... another uncommon thing is Pacino gets shot at the end by his CIA partners for 27 years... you wont get to see many Pacino movies where he dies at the ending (except for Insomnia) and this may be a bit disappointing to the Pacino fans (although I wasn't disappointed)- it seems just. I liked the twists, I found myself thinking "and the plot thickens" many times during this film. and Yes, you might say to yourself "another CIA flick", and Yes, there were better Cia flicks, I agree, but this one is certainly worth watching. My rating: 8 out of 10
Thrilling, Suspenseful and Expected.
posted on 11 Mar 2009The film itself has only one flaw. It simply invites too many plots. It confuses a viewer, then does not explain itself fully at the conclusion. Farrell is excellent, his looks help him much, but he also disguises his accent very well and takes his debut lead with ease. Pacino is as always, excellent, although I prefer him in other roles: he plays a tutor/father to Farrell. The female lead is also sexy and intriging - she looks a lot like Ashley Judd!The trailer gives too much away of the story, the emphasis on the lines, 'Everything is a test', 'All is not as it seems,' was in your face - films like Swordfish execute this much more effectively. I mean, who didn't guess the interrigation when Farrell and female are snatched was a test? The end comes at 100mph, the audience demands answers to the mystery surrounding Pacino and woman - does the film provide this? I think possibly not- although the end is not bad. I felt Pacino was going to turn out to be his father. I mean who is that other man?Overall, worth a watch. The CIA training provides interesting insight into how they train, but I felt this film tried to use techniques marvelled in other films, but didn't quite manage. It reminded me of 'Enemy of the State,' 'Swordfish,' and had a Tarantino feel: unfortunately if it didn't have the best ever, and the newest actors in Hollywood, this film would do little than fill time. 6.5/10.
Boring and Predictable
posted on 04 Aug 2009This "suspense thriller" was a snooze. Totally predictable at every step. Everything is as it seems. Aside from Pacino, uninteresting characters. The convenient, trite ending must have been snatched off the shelf at the local Walmart. Long, tedious aerial shots of a bus traveling to the training center - wow, that was really gripping. And lots and lots and lots of really exciting shots of computer screens. Save your money. If you've seen the trailer, you've seen everything there is to see.Go rent The Usual Suspects. Or go watch paint dry. You'll be more entertained.