It doesn't hold up.

Rating: 5/10 (24 February 2009)

I watched this recently for the first time since I originally saw it during its theatrical release. Now, in the light of day, far removed from the white noise of vacant critical praise, it isn't really all that great. In fact, on a writing level I think it's kind of silly.
I was distracted by the contrivance that Dick Goodwin (Rob Morrow) and Van Doren (Feinnes) would bond so rapidly, particularly while Goodwin is investigating possible corruption behind the scenes of 21 (you would think that would put a damper on their relationship). One minute Goodwin is introducing himself to Van Doren as an investigator, the next minute Goodwin is playing Name-That-Shakespeare-Line at a Van Doren family birthday party, and sharing a late night game of poker with Van Doren and his pals. That poker scene, by the way, was another writer's contrivance: a forced opportunity for Goodwin to literally "call Van Doren's bluff," while he's also figuratively calling his bluff in the story at large. It's way on the nose.
In any event, did Goodwin and Van Doren really have to become fast friends in order to tell this story? I don't think so.
The script is also so desperate to prove how "literate" it is. I already mentioned the Shakespeare game played at the birthday party -- a good two minutes of the film consumed by preppy New Englanders quoting the Bard randomly, if you get off on that sort of thing. Also, for some reason, at the conclusion of his first meeting with Van Doren, Goodwin (Morrow) stands up, smiles, and exits the office while quoting "Ode to a Grecian Urn." For a second I thought I dreamed that part, but it was really there. I'm still trying to figure out what "Ode to a Grecian Urn" had to do with the scene that preceded it, or the movie in general.
Finally, Rob Morrow's accent: just awful.
Most of the acting in this one is actually pretty good, and the movie LOOKED great. But really, on a script level, I think it's way, way overrated.