Extreme!

Rating: 10/10 (28 November 2007)

It's a fact: Robert De Niro is one of the best actors of the last decades. However, he proved that he's an excellent director too after "The Good Shepherd". Eric Roth's screenplay is very good, and it gives us good dialogs. The production is excellent as well.
Since "A Bronx Tale", De Niro has been developing his talent as a director. Now, he's the man behind a terrific thriller named "The Good Shepherd". Matt Damon is Edward Wilson, a young man who has just graduated and now is thinking about his future. Angelina Jolie is Margaret Russell, a woman who wants to marry a good man. Robert De Niro is Bill Sullivan, a veteran general who wants to be a witness of an empire inside his country, the United States of America. The empire is called C.I.A., the Central Intelligence Agency.
There are other actors in interesting performances in "The Good Shepherd". Alec Baldwin is a FBI agent, Sam Murach; Billy Crudup is Arch Cummings, another agent; Michael Gambon is Dr. Fredericks, a poetry teacher; William Hurt is Philip Allen, one of the men behind the C.I.A.'s birth; and John Turturro is Ray Brocco, Edward Wilson's serious friend. Joe Pesci has a special appearance as Joseph Palmi.
Above the C.I.A.'s foundation, the movie shows the effects of a stressful work in a man's life. Edward Wilson(Damon) has to sacrifice himself and becomes a cold man after years working in the Agency as one of the best agents. His work makes him an absent husband and father, because he must do everything to protect and serve his nation.
Concluding, my overall opinion is: "The Good Shepherd" is the best movie about the C.I.A., and I agree with Larry King when he said: "'The Godfather' of the C.I.A. movies." It's moving, disturbing, professional and beautiful at the same time. "The Good Shepherd" is a masterpiece! "Someone once asked me: 'Why don't you put THE before C.I.A?' And I answered: "Do you put THE before God?'"