8 on a scale of 10

Rating: 8/10 (31 December 2001)

I would like to give this movie a 9, but I just can't quite pull the trigger. I liked it a lot. It had the advantage of being the type of movie (political thriller) that I prefer. I can also say that there was never a single moment that I thought about how long it was or what time it was or if it was almost over.
However, I admit that I was close. I feel that they could easily have cut out 20 minutes and it would have been a better, tighter, more intense thriller. Also, I was turned off by Costner's poor attempt at a New England accent. Interestingly, it was much less obvious by the end of the film.
But, it has one big advantage - the fact that it tells a true story. It is truly amazing how close we came. The fact that we can watch the story 40 years later with no fear of realizing the ramifications adds a unique level of interest and suspense. Overall, it was well worth the time.