The Recruit (2003)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:163
Fresh:70
Rotten:93
Average Rating:5.5/10
Consensus: This polished thriller is engaging until it takes one twist too many into the predictable.
Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: James Clayton is fired up. A bartender by night and computer hacker in the few hours of daylight for which he manages to leave his water bed, the kid is flying high, on a roll with a laid-back... James Clayton is fired up. A bartender by night and computer hacker in the few hours of daylight for which he manages to leave his water bed, the kid is flying high, on a roll with a laid-back lifestyle that suits him just fine. Played by an agile Colin Farrell, Clayton is also a heartthrob with his five o'clock shadow and chiseled pecks. A cushy job offer from Dell computers peaks his interest in securing a professional career, and at the same moment he meets Walter Burke (Al Pacino), a recruiter from the CIA. Though Clayton's better judgement tells him to stay away from the shady Burke, he is curious to learn whatever he can about his father, who was also a CIA agent, killed in the line of duty. Clayton is sent to an intensive CIA training camp called "The Farm," where he quickly learns the gravity of his decision as he undergoes gruelling tests of physical, mental, and psychological strength. His romantic interest in the gorgeous, tough-as-nails Layla (Bridget Moynahan), a fellow trainee, becomes a weakness as the pressure of the tests steadily increases. Finally, without warning, Clayton is thrown into action as he and Burke go head-to-head in a mission that is more dangerous than either of them realize. With top-notch performances from a sly Pacino and a pumped-up Farrell, THE RECRUIT's best moments come from the intensity resonating between its characters. In addition, the settings and training activities at "The Farm" give intriguing insights into CIA recruitment and initiation. [More]
Starring: Al Pacino, Colin Farrell, Bridget Moynahan, Gabriel Macht
Starring: Al Pacino, Colin Farrell, Bridget Moynahan, Gabriel Macht
Director: Roger Donaldson
Director: Roger Donaldson
Screenwriter: Kurt Wimmer, Mitch Glazer, Roger Towne
Producer: Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Jeff Apple
Studio: Touchstone Pictures
Reviews for The Recruit
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A standard-issue spy game with all the layered complexity of Ludo. Full Review |
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The plot announces that it's going to gyp us around, not because it has other things to offer, but out of the hope that we will let it off the hook. Full Review |
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It's hackwork -- competently crafted and sufficiently fast-paced to keep your attention, but rendered forgettable by the absence of depth and ambition in the writing. Full Review |
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Farrell ... holds everything together with sheer star magnetism. Full Review |
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Watchable only for its star power and scarce caffeine kicks...awfully predictable. [Blu-Ray] Full Review |
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Many would believe Pacino could do no wrong but he has. The Recruit serves only to ignite a pilot light in the imagination of espionage lovers everywhere. Full Review |
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The film still makes a diverting entertainment in spite of its obviousness. Full Review |
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Pacino's puppet-stringing of his recruit is reminiscent of Peter O'Toole's manipulative character in 1980's 'The Stunt Man.' Full Review |
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Latest News for The Recruit
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