The Good Shepherd

2006

160 mins

Directed by Robert De Niro
56%
51%
Drama
Thriller

Robert De Niro's second turn behind the camera, joined by an awesome cast, follows the birth of the CIA as... More

Robert De Niro's second turn behind the camera, joined by an awesome cast, follows the birth of the CIA as seen through the eyes of agent Edward Wilson (Damon, in a role originally to be played by Leonardo DiCaprio).

Edward (modelled on CIA co-founder James Angleton) is a morally upright, privileged white man who, whilst at Yale, joins the Skull & Bones Society - an exclusive club meant to incubate future American leaders. From there he is recruited to the Office of Strategic Services during WW2, and is there during the 50s/60s and the onset of the Cold War when the OSS gets transformed into the CIA. As the CIA develops, a life of secrecy, behind-closed-door deals, double agents, and the possibility of a mole within the ranks leave Edward with a crippling paranoia, his ideals turned into suspicions.

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The Good Shepherd | Ratings & Reviews

56_%172 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes® rating
51_%182,385 reviews
Audience score rating

"Robert De Niro's second film as a director adopts a methodical approach and deliberate pace in attempting to grasp an almost forbiddingly intricate subject, with a result that is not boring, exactly, but undeniably tedious..."

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Variety

"One of the most impressive movies ever made about espionage..."

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The New Yorker

"The most interesting thing about The Good Shepherd is how hard the filmmakers work not only to demystify the agency, but also to strip it of its allure, its heat..."

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The New York Times

"Who knew Robert De Niro has such a keen fascination for foreign policy and espionage? "The Good Shepherd," his first directorial effort since his debut feature, "A Bronx Tale" (1993), is a thoroughly knowledgeable, carefully researched account of the founding and development of the CIA from World War II through the Bay of Pigs fiasco in 1961. While a bit unwieldy at nearly three hours and at times slow going, the film is absolutely fascinating for anyone who shares De Niro's passions..."

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Hollywood Reporter

"A remarkable study of the corrosive effects of fear and power on an establishment insider who puts duty above all else..."

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San Francisco Chronicle

"Well-crafted and well-acted, but ever-so-slightly worthy and strangely unaffecting. Given the track record of the CIA, it probably ought to be angrier..."

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Empire Magazine

"To be perfectly honest, The Good Shepherd is just plain boring most of the time. Intelligent, yes, politically astute, stuffed to the gills with A-list acting talent (overstuffed in fact, there are cameos a go-go), but too frozen with a sense of its own seriousness to grip..."

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