BREACH
Tension in a thriller doesn’t come from how many people are killed, but in creating main characters that you care about, putting them in a dangerous environment and then cranking up the intensity of the story until the very end. This smartly told tale of internal espionage within the FBI is riveting to watch with exceptional performances from the cast, especially the star, Chris Cooper ('Seabiscuit').
Cooper is Robert Hannsen, an FBI intelligence agent who has worked for the Bureau for almost 25 years. Eric O-Neill (Ryan Phillippe, “Flags of Our Fathers”), a young agent eager to prove himself, is assigned to Hannsen as his assistant. Prior to starting his assignment, O’Neill is approached by a higher ranking agent, Kate Burroughs (Laura Linney; “Man of the Year”), to spy on Cooper because of possible actions Cooper is performing on the Internet that would bring shame to the Bureau.
At least, this is the story O’Neill is told, and we learn much higher stakes that he’s not aware of are involved.
Hannsen proves to be highly intelligent - spying on him is no easy task for O’Neill, and the ensuing problems of doing so spill over into his personal life.
This game of matching wits is engaging and compelling to watch, as both Cooper and Phillippe comfortably perform their roles as the old spymaster and the confident but cocky upstart. O”Neill visibly shows the stress of his assignment as he feels he is betraying a man he’s come to admire.
The undercurrent of religious tension further works to complicate matters, as Hannsen presents himself as a devout practicing Catholic while O’Neill has lapsed from his religious upbringing.
The wives of the main characters add to the rich tapestry of the story, allowing Cooper and Phillippe to show different sides of their characters, and the supporting characters are well fleshed-out, even with the limited screen time some of them receive.
An interesting question posed by O’Neill to Burroughs midway through - is it worth it? - really sets the tone for the whole film. Linney is intense as the upper-level agent who works with Phillippe’s character, and her performance illuminates just how stressful an FBI position can be.
Ultimately, Cooper’s Hannsen should have been easy to despise, but the actor manages to make him enigmatic and sympathetic. While he may not be the kind of boss most people would ever want, it seems reasonable that O’Neill initially respected him and wished to please him. Cooper is a terrific actor who has finally begun to get the juicy roles he has long deserved, and this character proves to be one of his best.
While devoid of car chases and large explosions, the multiple close calls - smartly devised within the story - kept me holding my breath until the very end. A bittersweet ending proved to be the perfect topper to this spy film, which is based upon a true story that actually happened only a short time ago.
'Breach' is a well-crafted thriller that is worthy of your rapt attention.
Rated PG-13 for violence, sexual content and language.
