A horrible movie going experience

Rating: 1/10 (31 December 2006)

I go to the movies several times a month and I've always loved sitting in a theatre rather than renting a movie to watch at home. However, I'm beginning to be disappointed in some of Hollywood's most recent efforts. The Good Shepherd is the most recent example. First of all, I can think of few stories that take THREE HOURS to tell. I thought it would never end. I heard lots of disgruntled comments as people left the theatre, and I noticed a lot of people get up during to the movie to go to the restroom or to get a snack.
The film is mostly boring conversations between two people. What happened to "Show, don't tell." This film was all tell, tell, and tell. Matt Damon, one of my favorite actors, was reduced to being a bloodless, cardboard figure. Who would want to get involved with such a wooden protagonist? And why did Angelina take the part of his wife? It was a one note part. And the young men who played the son - first as a child and then as a 20 something, were creepy. The young kid reminded me of the boy in the remake of The Omen. Why cast pale, nerdy people? I'm 58, so I remember the Bay of Pigs, and My dad taught me the words to "The Whippenpoof Song" when I was a little, girl, but this film did NOT hold my interest at all. We would have walked out after an hour, but we already walked out on The History Boys the week before. I was so disappointed in Robert DeNiro. He'd better stick to acting. Directing is not his gift.
Do not go and see this film. It's terrible.