Breach
By John Sheridan, Blockbuster.co.uk
An excellent spy-thriller from the director of Shattered Glass and starring Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe and Laura Linney; Breach tells the incredible true story of the biggest security breach in American History.
Robert Hanssen was the model FBI Agent. A genius analyst, a committed family man; a churchgoer who is dedicated to his faith who preaches others on morality; above all though, Hanssen is an American – a patriot. At least that is what the FBI believed for over twenty years. In reality Hanssen had been one of the Soviet Union and later the Russian Government’s greatest spies – disclosing some of America’s greatest military and intelligence secrets.
When the betrayal was revealed in early 2001, Hanssen was on the verge of retirement, this fascinating film is based on the story of the man most responsible for bringing Hanssen to justice – Eric O’Neil.
Phillippe stars as Eric O’Neil, an FBI officer (not quite a full agent), eager to move up the ranks and become a full agent by producing suggestions for improving established protocol with his team, but is largely ignored by the powers that be. Ignored that is, until he is dragged into a conference room on a Sunday morning to meet with Head Agent Kate Burroughs (Laura Linney).
Burroughs assigns O’Neil to shadow one of their most respected FBI Agents, Russian Intelligence specialist Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper) for what she claims to be sexually perverse activities that could bring the FBI into disrepute. Rising to the challenge, O’Neil is given the job of Hanssen’s assistant, he is told to spy on the man and report each night on what he has been up to.
Soon after meeting Hanssen, it is clear that something doesn’t quite add up. A 57 year old man, on the verge of retirement, Hanssen comes across as a committed family man and devout Catholic. Very conservative - he dislikes women in ‘pant suits’, as they’ve ‘already got Hillary Clinton’ and he tells O’Neil that the reason the Soviets lost the Cold War was because they were ‘God-less’.
As a fellow Catholic, Hanssen takes O’Neil under his wing, encouraging him to join his church and spend time with his family. Taking time to visit O’Neil and his young wife at their home as well as inviting them to his, the two families grow closer. Hanssen comes across as completely genuine and O’Neil feels more and more conflicted with what he has been assigned to do and more curious about the FBI’s real motives for the investigation.
An excellent spy-thriller with some absolutely genius casting; Breach is a tense true story that never seems to lose its dramatic focus. This is a film that grabs you straight away and refuses to let go. The DVD also includes a news report on the actual fraud along with behind the scenes interviews with the real Eric O’Neil and his wife. Add to your list now.