THE COMPANY YOU KEEP

US, 2012, 125 minutes, Colour.
Robert Redford, Shia La Boeuf, Julie Christie, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Chris Cooper, Nick Nolte, Richard Jenkins, Terrence Howard, Anna Kendrick, Sam Elliott, Brendan Gleeson, Brit Marling, Jackie Evancho, Stephen Root.
Directed by Robert Redford.

This thriller will be something of a gift for those audiences who like an old fashioned drama (although listening in, unwillingly, some younger viewers chatted critically about how conservative the film was in technique and in political stances). It is an FBI story, the pursuit of some criminals from the 1960s and 1970s. However, it is far more complicated than that description.

We are taken back to the Vietnam War and the protests, especially in the late sixties and into the seventies, with such groups as the Weather Underground. Stirred by the loss of life in Vietnam, the reaction of police on campuses like that of Kent State, they moved into action rather than mere protest. The characters in this film were involved in a bank robbery at the time when one of the staff was killed.

The tone of the film is set by Robert Redford. He has directed the film as well as taking the central role, a sympathetic protester from the past who had settled in Albany, under a false name, as a reputed lawyer. He has a young teenage daughter - which rather strains the credibility of the film, granddaughter might have been more appropriate since Redford was 75 at the making of the film. However, if we accept this, and the sympathetic performance of the young Jacki Evancho, we will stay believing in him. When discovered, he goes on the run, not to evade the FBI as it emerges, but to prove his innocence in the charge of murder. He wants to do this for his daughter.

In fact, this is how the film starts, with another member of the group, happily married, determined to give herself up for the sake of her children. She is played by Susan Sarandon - who has a strong scene in prison being interviewed by a reporter and explaining her actions and motives.

The reporter is played by Shia La Boeuf in his earnest, agitated manner, a blend of naiveté and self-satisfaction. Which makes the film one of FBI pursuit as well as of journalistic investigation. It would seem from the screenplay that the journalist is more effective than the FBI.

The film is interesting when it shows Redford on the run, with his daughter, relying on his younger brother, Chris Cooper, to take her in. He skillfully eludes pursuit, meets up with various friends and associates from the past, including Nick Nolte and Richard Jenkins. He also confronts the officer in charge of the investigation at the time of the robbery and killing, Brendan Gleeson, and his daughter, Brit Marling. (And Stanley Tucci, Sam Elliott and Anna Kendrick are also in the cast.)

However, his main objective is to track down former partner and lover, Mimi, played, surprisingly, by Julie Christie. This is important as she is the only one who could prove his innocence, but the difficulty is that she would have to give herself up to the authorities.

Terrence Howard leads the FBI and is intent on getting results. Shia LaBoeuf?, however, has started the expose, has been challenged by Redford's character about his integrity and his plans for building his reputation.

This means that there are quite a number of moral issues from the past: the protest about the Vietnam War and some of the violent consequences, the role of the police and the FBI and about some people being able to live anonymously despite their past. And there are moral issues from the present: the relentless action of the FBI without examining circumstances of those they pursue, of the role of the media, the expose and its consequences, and what should be done about those who give themselves up after 30 years or more on the run.

In asking those questions, we realize that there could have been far more in the film than showing Redford's story and his choice of playing a seemingly ambiguous character who is actually a good man. Further examination of the stories of the characters played by Julie Christie, Susan Sarandon, Nick Nolte and Richard Jenkins would have made for an even better and more challenging film.


1. An old-style thriller? The FBI? The past and protests? Issues about freedom of expression and protest? Memories of the Vietnam War?

2. Robert Redford, his role in directing, his choice of character, his interests and themes? Social and political comment?

3. Audiences and their memories of the Vietnam War, of protests of the 1960s and 1970s, the violence, the crimes, the role of FBI and pursuits?

4. The film as a newspaper investigation? The role of newspapers, failing? The editor, his concerns, local issues and stories, Albany, New York? Ben, his attitudes, the possibility of his being fired? Other reporters going, columns changing? The role of investigative journalism?

5. Sharon, at home, her family, her intention of giving up, filling the car, the sudden arrest, her silence in custody? Allowing Ben in, explaining her experiences, the passing of the years, age, respectability, concern for her family? For the truth?

6. Sharon’s friend, his work, his role, contacting Jim Grant, his request for a defense for Sharon? Grant and his referral? Ben and meeting with the friend, the lead to Grant, his phoning Grant, going to the office, the interview, Grant’s reluctance to give information? The brushoff, photographing the license plate, investigating it? The images of the past, identifying Jim Grant as Nick Sloan?

7. Robert Redford as Jim Grant, Nick Sloan? Daughter, the mother dying, taking her to school, the domestic scenes? At work and the office? His secretary? Attitude towards Ben? Realising that he would be pursued, packing, on the move? Taking his daughter?

8. The FBI, the arrest of Sharon, Cornelius and his intensity? The young intern, her contacts with Ben, the past, getting the interview? Wanting to be disassociated? Cornelius and his suspicions of Ben, following him?

9. Nick’s journey, taking his daughter, the details of the trip, his trying to shield her? Phoning his brother, his brother’s reluctance? Going to the house, leaving his daughter, evading the media? Daniel, the interviews, explaining the relationship? The FBI and surveillance? Ben and his intrusion? Nick and the phone call, the FBI tracing the call, his throwing the phone on the truck?

10. Ben, his questions, his articles? The editor and his suspicions? Ben wondering why on the run? The nature of his journey? To prove his innocence? Ben travelling, research, the libraries, the newspapers? Discovering Mimi? The police chief, the questions, his reluctance, Rebecca? Ben and his tracking down Nick, the confrontation? Nick’s comments on conscience? Ben and his articles, job and reputation?

11. Nick, tracking down Donal, the talk, memories, suspicions, in the house, Donal buying the car? The information about Mimi?

12. Mimi in California, her friend and his advice? Her life, the past, her relationship with Nick, the phone call, her leaving, going to the rendezvous? Meeting, memories? Nick’s appeal to her to give herself up? The explanation of his daughter? The irony of Rebecca being their daughter? Mimi and her stand, sailing away, Nick leading pursuit in the other direction? The news of her surrender?

13. Jed, his lecture, memories of the past, his reputation, Nick’s arrival, Jed upset, not wanting to talk, the phone number, Nick’s phone call? Jed wanting him away?

14. The police chief, his daughter, his friends, the yacht club, his reputation, investigation in the past? The association with Mimi, owning the property? Avoiding Ben? Telling Rebecca about her background? The result?

15. The resolution, Mimi surrendering, Ben and his article, Nick being freed, Ben deleting his article?

16. The range of stories, interest? The focus on Nick? His daughter, and the plausibility of having a daughter at that age, audience interest in the other characters and their problems, their being subplots? But in the context of investigative journalism?