Catching Sheep with Robert De Niro and Matt Damon

Rating: 9/10 (24 December 2008)

According to the sleeve's synopsis, "Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie and Robert De Niro star in this powerful thriller about the birth of the CIA. Edward Wilson (Damon) believes in America, and will sacrifice everything he loves to protect it. But as one of the covert founders of the CIA, Edward's youthful idealism is slowly eroded by his growing suspicion of the people around him. Everybody has secretsbut will Edward's destroy him? With an all-star cast including Alec Baldwin, Billy Crudup, William Hurt, Timothy Hutton and John Turturro, it's the gripping story David Ansen of Newsweek hails as 'spellbinding'."
That's not entirely accurate, and may make "The Good Shepherd" easy to dislike, considering its... obliqueness lugubrious pace and Eric Roth's metacognitive script. The film's pace is excruciating...
"The Good Shepherd" is the long (yes, too long) character study of a man who is clearly a composite of individuals we will never see more clearly. CIA directors seldom write "tell all" autobiographies. The film is, also, a fictionalized account of why the 1961 "Bay of Pigs" confrontation failed (for the USA) and/or was successful (for Fidel Castro). Although it is, as Mr. Ansen describes, "spellbinding", film is more of an "intellectual-" than an "action-" thriller. And, Mr. De Niro does not "star" in the film; he is the director, and essays a relatively minor role. Herein, De Niro proves he should direct more often - both more "commercial" films, and a sequel to this one.
The story begins in 1961, with the clandestine taping of an act of sexual intercourse, between two unrecognizable individuals. Then, in a "characterization" moment, Mr. Damon (as Wilson) sticks a model ship into a bottle. Obviously, these two events are symbolically connected; in fact, the entire film deals with "intercourse". Eventually, the grainy couple will be revealed, and rather artfully connected to Damon's ship-building hobby. Watching "The Good Shepherd" will require your full attention throughout. Especially, read the small subtitles regarding setting; the film makes some time period jumps, which will otherwise be confusing.
Performances are uniformly excellent; the collaboration between the cast and De Niro is essential viewing, for anyone interested in the individuals involved.
Damon's portrayal is cold, aloof, and almost entirely humorless. At age six (a 1925 flashback), he is psychologically wounded by the suicide of his father. You should note that Damon's character loses his father when he is six years old; and, later, he enters his own son's life when his son is six years old - making the two "Wilsons" connecting puzzle pieces. A failed poet, Damon is lifelike only when interacting with certain relatives and acquaintances; otherwise, he carries his emotional wounds, as a walking zombie, until the film's burning closure.
Supporting performances have varying levels of importance. Ms. Jolie (as Margaret "Clover" Russell) rises to the top of the list; introduced "in heat", she recalls Garbo's erotic seductiveness, then Madonna's "come hither" look. With, perhaps, a scene excepted, Jolie's work is wonderful. Certainly, her character shows Damon's limited interest in sex. Probably, we see his entire output on screen. Although captured by Jolie, Damon loves a beautiful deaf woman he meets in the library, Tammy Blanchard (as Laura). Mr. Roth's script "consummates" this relationship exquisitely; first, with partially deaf female spy Martina Gedeck (as Hanna Schiller).
Damon has other relationships to watch closely - with professor Michael Gambon (as Dr. Fredericks), who can see Damon's suppressed poet; and son Eddie Redmayne (as Edward Wilson Jr.), who cannot see his father at all.
Damon's CIA "godfathers" include Mr. Hurt (as Philip Allen), Mr. Baldwin (as Sam Murach), and De Niro (as William Sullivan). The more traditional "godfather" Joe Pesci (as Joseph Palmi) has a small role, which reveals something not only about America's "exclusive" secret clubs, but also about Damon's character.
Yet, no illustration of character beats Mr. Turturro (as Ray Brocco) identifying Damon with the line, "They said you were a serious SOB that didn't have any sense of humor, there can't be two of you."
Some of the turncoats are too obvious, though their performances are faultless. Last, but certainly NOT least, Robert Richardson's cinematography and the Bruce Fowler/Marcelo Zarvos soundtrack (a symphony of sadness) reach unsurpassable artistic heights.
All perform masterfully.
********* The Good Shepherd (12/11/06) Robert De Niro ~ Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Michael Gambon, Eddie Redmayne