THE RECRUIT

US, 2003, 114 minutes, Colour.
Al Pacino, Colin Farrell, Bridget Moynihan, Gabriel Macht.
Directed by Roger Donaldson.

In recent years, Al Pacino has been making a lot of films. He has a strong screen persona, with an ability to come across as much larger than life (Devil's Advocate, On Any Sunday, Simone, Insomnia). In The Recruit, he is definitely larger than life, playing a veteran of years of covert activity, now on the brink of retirement, full of angers and resentments, but an overt patriot.

Colin Farrell, on the other hand, is a young man in search of a calling. The first part of the film shows Pacino playing cat and mouse with Farrell, trying to recruit him for secret service. Will he, won't he? What means of manipulating and manoeuvring will he use? Will Farrell succumb? Well, the title of the film does give it away. He does.

What follows are scenes of gruelling training, enough to make anyone in their right mind want to give up. However, Farrell's father may have been killed in some kind of operation in South America and he wants to know the truth. He perseveres and Pacino offers tantalising incentives of information.

The third act is more complex: the test. Farrell has to prove is worth as a secret agent, but undercover activity means living perpetually in puzzle and at risk. Who is telling the truth? Who is lying? Who is trying to kill whom? And why? And is it worth it? And that is how the film ends, with a high melodramatic confrontation, speeches about patriotism, violence. While this gives us action entertainment, I am not sure that it is a very effective campaign for real life recruiting to the CIA or other agencies.

The director is Roger Donaldson who made Thirteen Days and other action films.

1. A film about the CIA at beginning of the 21st century? Released during the time of the Iraq conflict? Its impact for Americans? For non-Americans?

2. The scenes in Boston, in Washington, at The Farm? Authentic atmosphere for the recruit himself, for Washington and Langley, for the CIA training? The musical score?

3. The title and its focus on James Clayton? The credits and the highlighting of the media on the disappearance of his father? The effect of his father on him? His work, Shell Oil, the different countries he grew up in, losing his father, his mother? His eagerness to find out more about his father? Walter Burke as a substitute father figure? His commitment to his CIA training and action because of Burke? The final disillusionment from Burke about his father? The contrary opinion and the close-up of the blank for 1990 with a star on the Roll of Honour in the CIA vestibule?

4. James Clayton, his age, waking up, rushing to the computer demonstration, his abilities with transferring programs to the big screen? The possibility of a big contract? His being watched by Walter Burke, serving in the bar, Burke's approach? The discussion? His listening, realising that he was being recruited, his initial negative reaction? The next day, the interview, coming out, finding that Burke was waiting for him? His commitment? His motivations?

5. The training, the group going in, his attraction towards Laila and Zach? The detail of the training, the lectures, the role of Walter Burke? In action, the rigorous exercise? The intelligence tests - and the comic collage of the questions asked? James's nonchalant answers? The further training, the tests? Going out to the bar to pick up a woman and his sympathy for Laila and his being tricked? The abduction, the torture, his finally giving in because of Laila? His thinking that he was a failure? His being sent away, his collapsing, drinking? The encounter with Burke, the explanation that he would be an operative outside the CIA?

6. The further mission, the information that Laila was Algerian background and a plant? His loyalty and surveillance of her, their relationship, his device of getting into her office as a delivery man, looking at the computer, with her at home, getting out of bed, the computer? Her shadowing him? Planting the devices for tracking and listening? The build-up to the confrontation, her taking the computer, having the material in the bottom of her flask? The chase, the confrontation, the crash? The explanations? His seeing her pass the material to Zach, the pursuit of Zach, the chase in the underground, shooting him? The emotional effect on James?

7. The final contact with Walter, urging him for the appointment, his explanation of Laila, the computer? The realisation that Walter had turned, the greed, his wanting the money? His device with the computer, bluffing that Langley was listening? The back-up squad, the shift of their sights from him to Walter? The finale about his search for his father, Walter's final hurting of him? The reaction to his death, a future with Bridget? With the CIA? In his blood?

8. Walter, the 27-year veteran, his talent for finding people with abilities? Stalking James, the interviews, the recruiting pitch? On The Farm, the lectures, not wanting to be his friend? Their discussions, discussions about his father? Setting the missions, the supervision, the surveillance? Commenting on people doing the exam and ousting the man cheating? His work at The Farm, his comments about lack of pay, lack of prestige, dangers? His giving James the mission, the explanation about Laila? James reporting back, his guiding him about the special program? The finale and the meeting, his pursuing James, believing that he was hurt by Langley? His outburst confession? The aim turned on him, his suicide?

9. Laila, her ambitions, her attitudes towards James, the lie detector test and the focus on eyes to know truth or falsity? The test in the bar? His revenge on the questions with the test? Together, his breaking because of her? His finding she was a spy? Her reality, CIA, doing the best, surveillance of James, the pursuit, the material in the flask? The finale?

10. Zach, rivalry with James, in the course, at the bar, getting the material from Leila, the pursuit in the underground, his death?

11. The personnel at The Farm, the CIA authorities? The role of the CIA, covert operations? Morality and amorality? Patriotism?

12. The rigours of the training, the moral perspective, altering people's attitudes to life and to one another? Trusting no-one? The sequence of torture and trying to break people?

13. The role of the CIA in the 21st century world? Espionage, counter-espionage?