Birth of CIA. Matt Damon is excellent.

Rating: 7/10 (30 December 2006)

A labor of love for Robert De Niro, who directs and stars in this deliberate and somewhat lumbering look at the first 20 years of the Central Intelligence Agency. Matt Damon stars as Edward Wilson, a discrete, committed, honorable and trustworthy young man; while a student at Yale, is recruited by the Skull and Bones secret society. His American values make him the perfect candidate to become one of the CIA's first spies.
Nearly three hours is filled with Wilson's high-tension journey taking in World War II espionage, the very birth of the CIA and the bungled Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba in 1961. Wilson proves to be almost as stoic as the Cold War itself. The beautiful Angelina Jolie plays Wilson's wife. The excellent cast in support features Alec Baldwin, Michael Gambon, Kier Dullea, William Hurt, Billy Crudup, Joe Pesci, as well as De Niro. The story line may seem staid; but the finale actually is emotional, albeit tragic and lonely.