Spies like us... Ryan Phillippe and Chris Cooper in Breach.
What a strange time to be filming a late-era cold war spy drama. The world seems to have changed beyond measure in the six years since Robert Hanssen was caught selling secrets to the Russians, and Hollywood is currently occupying a distinctly different space: namely doing its best to make up for several years of largely ignoring the Iraq war by filming umpteen tales of military malfeasance in the Middle East at the same time.
All of which suggests that this rather worthy film would have been quietly brushed under the carpet were it not for the incisive performance from Chris Cooper as the rightwing, devout Catholic FBI man who was one of Russia's most high profile double agents in the US.
"An effective and meticulous character drama, Breach doesn't quite make the most of its story but still tells a fascinating tale, aided by Chris Cooper's magnetic central performance," writes the wonderfully-monikered Saxon Bullock of Channel 4 film, while Kenneth Turan of the LA Times calls it "a crackling tale of real-life espionage that doubles as a compelling psychological drama".
There is a sense, however, in many of the reviews, that the critics didn't enjoy Breach quite as much as they wanted to.
"Cold and cerebral, with simmering suspense rather than outright excitement, this is a feel-the-quality-of-the-acting movie," writes Kim Newman in Empire. "It can't answer all sorts of questions, but does take a scary mug shot of a subtle monster."
"An interestingly told tale," writes our own Peter Bradshaw, in the midst of a three-star review. "Melancholy, thoughtful, and very un-American."
Did you manage to catch Breach over the weekend, and if so, what did you think? Is this Oscar-worthy stuff?
