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Best movie of this year hands down!

Simply Perfect

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

How do you catch a spy? Very carefully. In this case, the spy worked for the FBI. So, lure him back to the agency and claim he's being "promoted". Also, to add to the mix, give him his own assistant. This is how Robert Hannsen, possibly the most notorious double-agent who spied for Soviet/Russian intelligence was eventually caught.The film begins in the early days of the George W. Bush presidential administration. John Ashcroft is the new Attorney General, head of the Department of Justice, and the FBI resides under that department. Robert Hannsen is brought back to the FBI and told that he is assigned the task of overseeing the technical side of FBI security. He is given an assistant, Eric O'Neill, who, unknown to Hannsen, is a counter-intelligence operative working undercover. O'Neill's task: to monitor Hannsen. Later, he learns the full truth: Hannsen is perhaps the most notorious of spies who traded US secrets to the Soviet Union/Russian State for over two decades. Will O'Neill be able to simultaneously play dutiful but clueless assistant, while trying to uncover the secrets about Hannsen? A good film, which is slightly different than the real story, but mostly on the mark. Apparently, O'Neill knew from the beginning about Hannsen, although in the film, he doesn't find out the whole truth until near midway through. Also, there were several very interesting episodes involving Hannsen prior to his "surveillance" which would have been very interesting to include, such as the recognition of Hannsen's voice on a tape included in a package from a Soviet informant that the government played $7 million for. (An excerpt is played in the film.) Still an excellent film, with highest marks going to Chris Cooper as Hannsen.

This was pretty good for such a dry, slow-burning movie, it drags at times but still manages to keep a level of tension and suspense going throughout and I id end up really enjoying this. Ultimately it was the strong performances from both Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillippe that saved this for me.Cooper is intense and creepy here displaying a range of mystique. Laura Linney as his handler was quite bitchy. Ryan plays an FBI Trainee who is assigned to keep en eye on a fellow agent suspected of selling information to the soviets. Its his first real case and initially he's not even sure what he's looking for. 7/17/14

Breach is a historical drama film directed by Billy Ray. The screenplay by Ray, Adam Mazer, and William Rotko is based on the true story of Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent convicted of spying for the Soviet Union and later Russia for more than two decades, and Eric O'Neill, who worked as his assistant and helped bring about his downfall. Chris Cooper and Ryan Philippe star in this fact-based drama concerning the FBI traitor who carried out what many historians refer to as the most notable national security breach in U.S. history. A key member of the FBI's elite Soviet Analytical Unit, Robert Hanssen (Cooper) would, for 15 years beginning in 1985, sell thousands of pages of classified documents to the Soviets. After making roughly 600,000 dollars on his clandestine endeavor and compromising everything from the identities of KGB spies working for the American government to nuclear war contingency plans, Hanssen was eventually transferred to a newly created position at the FBI's Washington headquarters and assigned the task of guarding his country's most sensitive secrets. It was while working in this capacity that a young agent named Eric O'Neill (Phillipe) was assigned the task of keeping tabs on Hanssen by suspicious higher-ups. Later, after being arrested while delivering a cache of secret documents to a "dead drop" spot in a Virginia park, the notorious traitor was arrested and sentenced to life in prison with no chance for parole.Powered by Chris Cooper's masterful performance, Breach is a tense and engaging portrayal of the FBI's infamous turncoat.He is the is the principal reason why this unspectacular, low-key study of the Hanssen national security fiasco is so effective.The movie soars because of it.Aside from that,it is an espionage thriller which focuses on strong character development, performances and setting that it feels so realistic and far from being contrived.Overall,it is an enjoyable, slow-burning thriller with an intelligent script that it should be classified as a must-see.

'Breach' is one of those rare movies that just gets better and better the more you watch it. Based on the true story of the worst security breach in U.S. history, it is a captivating, enthralling tale that proves that truth truly is stranger than fiction.First off, the movie succeeds at keeping us guessing and wondering, even though we already know how the story ends. Not an easy feat. Secondly, the film is a unique blend of a spy thriller and a character drama. While it is a movie about a spy, it's not a "spy movie" by standard stereotype. There are no car chases or shootout scenes. Instead, the film uses a more low-key type of suspense, which engrosses viewers through its realism--and possibly creates an even greater tension that way.The third element of the film is the casting/acting. All the actors fit their roles perfectly. Chris Cooper embodies Robert Hanssen, portraying a very complex villain objectively and with sensitivity. His performance was seriously overlooked by the Academy. If he can win for "Adaptation" (which was a great performance but, in my opinion, inferior to this one), he should have at least received a nomination for this one. Ryan Phillippe does a fine job as the film's protagonist, portraying the rookie pulled in all directions, struggling with life, trust, marriage, and wondering what his next move should be. Laura Linney is superb, as always, giving a tough performance as the agent in charge. She does have a few lines with a sort of dry sense of humor, which adds a bit of a light touch to an otherwise deep and serious film. The rest of the supporting cast is excellent as well and fit their roles perfectly.The fourth (and possibly strongest) aspect that makes 'Breach' succeed so highly is its portrayal of Robert Hanssen. A great deal of that is owed to Cooper, but the filmmakers also had a hand in it. Hanssen is not demonized. Although his actions are grave and at times repulsive, we are shown a tender, family-oriented side of him. He is also seen as a faithful church-goer who probably does believe his religion, but his actions and choices make him very complicated to understand. In the end, we feel everything from disappointment to repulsiveness to confusion to fascination and, yes, even pity toward his character. Maybe not pity for him, per se, but pity for the fact that his actions had such dire consequences on so many people.All-in-all, a well-rounded film that is sure to stick with you long after the end credits roll. To those who feel that this film was slow or boring, you obviously were expecting something else or either can't handle a more realistic spy movie. Sure, high-octane spy films are great, but it's the mesmerizing true stories that truly shine.