Strong acting, a fine
patient pace at the outset, a clever ending, but
nonetheless lacking something meaty. Take that
playfully dangerous element of the double agent
romancing the double agent, as so often toyed with in
James Bond films, strip away the comedy, even most of
the suave, and you'll have the engine of "The
Recruit."
The film also fosters a father figure syndrome
that never quite fully matures. Mostly smart and
convincing, though some after-the-film noodling will
no doubt yield doubts.
It's a maze of who to trust and who not. "The
Recruit" would make an excellent movie of the week,
but on the big screen comes up a little shy. But then
again, psychological thrillers are not my favorite
genre. Al is strong, but this performance brings
nothing new to his portfolio.
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