The first half packs some clever surprises, but eventually you'll wish you'd signed up with another movie.
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
The Recruit adds little to the already overworked espionage genre, but it completes its mission, working quietly and stealthily, without drawing too much attention to itself.
The Recruit may have a storyline as generic as its title, but in the explosive Pacino and the smoldering Farrell, it has a pair of stars who are not as easily dismissed.
Beyond the opening frames, the whole movie has an altogether musty odour, as if those up-to-the-minute lines had simply been tacked on to a mothballed script.
It's the kind of movie you can sit back and enjoy, as long as you don't make the mistake of thinking too much.
I didn't groan once, and I left with a smile on my face. That's all I can ask.
Unlikely to be the only example of slam-bang popcorn fluff with so despairing a demeanor we’re likely to see in the near future. It’s pre-cynicized for your protection.
The movie works best when the action is at 'The Farm' and the recruits are learning what it takes to play spy.
Welcome to the CIA where a zeal to battle against evil doers is grounded in role-playing, smooth deceptions and frequent danger.
A tense and twisty espionage thriller that tests your wits for the bulk of its run time.
For a ringside seat at the secret CIA training process, The Recruit delivers a somewhat fascinating view. Yet, if not powered by Colin Farrell's strong performance, the predictable film would ultimately fall flat on its face.
Watching James tap on a computer isn't so exciting. And neither is The Recruit.
The mind game can be a great asset to any movie that chooses to apply it correctly, but when it's labored beyond measure and plausibility, the result is a product like The Recruit.
Slick enough to be entertaining to the end, though it's never hard to guess what’s really going on, and despite all the twists there are few surprises.
A less-than-middling melodrama whose subject matter and talent never click as much as its credits portend.
'The major twists and turns are relentlessly predictable and register as sharply as being poked by a stick of margarine. The Recruit needs to undergo some more training from the Hollywood creativity department.'
A film like this also needs a great deal of double, triple and even quadruple crossing and confusion to be effective. Yet, it never really utilizes enough of that type of material to create the sort of experience for which it's obviously aiming.
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