Paranoia is Everywhere !!!

Rating: 4/10 (10 January 2007)

Robert De Niro directs this spy film in an attempt to bring the creation of the CIA into focus. He uses Edward Wilson (Matt Damon) as the central character, a member of the original OSS, an Insider who is an Outsider. The time line is the early 1960's, during the Bay of Pigs invasion, with flashbacks to the 1930's thru the 1950's. Maraget{Clover} Wilson(Anjolina Jolie)is the lover/ wife who is driven into obscurity from the lack of emotional commitment by Edward.
His passion to protect and defend the USA drives the family into total dysfunction.
The flashbacks are used to establish the development of Edward, as a member of the Skull and Bones from Yale, to his trips into espionage against his own people. The tag line ,who is who, is repeated over and over thru the movie. That is where it fails. Deniro plays this theme so continuously that it becomes comical. Wait till they throw the fiancée' out of the plane, you will be roaring with laughter, as this dramatic point becomes theater!!! I thought it was a HOOT !!!
There are other leaps of logic but why tell you all of them. I recommend this movie as a semi spy thriller, and why most actors can't direct. They usually over stimulate the set up that when you get to the high point, the energy is gone.
Alec Baldwin actually recreates another role, as he tries to be an FBI agent, remember the Shadow ?
The rest of the cast does a workman like job, and De Niro keeps the film moving. Look for De Niro as General Bill Sullivan, and a good performance.
So , if you are looking for a Spy-thriller, try "The 39 Steps" or "Eye of The Needle", otherwise , wait for the DVD. Only a 4.