BREACH

US, 2007, 110 minutes, Colour.
Chris Cooper, Ryan Philippe, Laura Linney, Carolyn Dhavernas, Gary Cole, Dennis Haysbert, Kathleen Quinlan, Bruce Davison.
Directed by Billy Ray.

This is a very interesting drama. In fact, it is more than interesting. It broaches not only the issues of national security and espionage, treason and treachery in the American context, it takes us further into the complex psyche of the traitor. The traitor is a patriot with a twist, but he is also a surface outspoken religious man whose dark side is not limited to lies and betrayal but involves some sexual deviance. He is a proselytiser for his Catholic faith and a devout member of Opus Dei.

We are told immediately that Robert Hanssen was arrested in 2001 for the worst breaches of American security ever, information given to Russian contacts over a period of 22 years. At the end we are told that he is serving a life sentence in a Florida maximum security prison with 23 hours a day isolation.

There has been a succession of films, fact as well as some fiction based on fact, especially about English spies like Kim Philby, Guy Burgess, Donald Mac Lean and Anthony Blunt. Timothy Hutton appeared as American Aldrich Ames who is referred to in this film by Hanssen as the most destructive spy up to that time.

This film, directed by Billy Ray who directed the fascinating story of serial plagiarist, Glass, Shattered Glass from the New Republic, delves into the character of Robert Hanssen, showing him in the two months prior to his arrest, caught in the act of making a drop of documents. The FBI appointed him to a fake task to keep an eye on him and get enough evidence for the arrest. They assigned an ambitious young employee, Eric O’ Neill, as clerk to Hanssen to keep an eye on him because of the sexual issues. They soon have to reveal the truth to him when he finds that he admires Hanssen – at which stage both he and the audience are quite shocked. We have seen the earnest, ultra-serious Hanssen in action, know him as personally unsympathetic but a rosary-praying, mass-going grandfather, supported by a similarly devout and devoted wife.

The young assignee is a careless Catholic with an East German wife whom Hanssen wants to convert. This Catholic theme is well explored although the enigmas and contradictions of Hanssen’s life are not solved. The final words in the film are a request from the haggard Hanssen for Eric O’ Neill to pray for him.

Chris Cooper has proven himself a versatile and persuasive actor in many roles (including his Oscar-winning Adaptation). He communicates the surface as well as the depths so that we are continually astonished by his inconsistencies of attitude and behaviour and continually scrutinising him to try to grasp and understand more. It is a fine performance.

Ryan Philippe also proves that he is developing as an actor (after Flags of our Fathers) showing the blend of ambition and naiveté that makes him credible to Hanssen as well as reliable to his Control (played with ice and intensity by Laura Linney). He grows into the job even though it is in danger of ruining his marriage. He is able to make Hanssen believe him and exercises great shrewdness to lull Hanssen and lure him into a trap. O’ Neill finally leaves the bureau and the credits’ information is that he is a practising lawyer in Washington – he would be a formidable performer in court.

The screenplay does not make much overt reference to Opus Dei – Eric complains at one stage when Hanssen explains the society to his wife – so there are no Da Vinci sinister overtones. Rather, the religious theme is shown in action. It contributes to those insightful films which show the extraordinary inconsistencies in the behaviour of respectable Catholics (like Looking for Mr Goodbar or Priest).

This is a well-written and intelligent drama for adult consideration with challenging psychology and themes.

1.The FBI? Espionage? American security? Its history, role? The impact of breaches?

2.American audiences, worldwide audiences? The importance of the story? Information, espionage? The cold war?

3.The focused setting: two months, the initial information from the attorney-general, audience knowledge about Robert Hanssen? Following him, his role of espionage, his character, the nature of surveillance?

4.The grim visual style, the colour, pace and editing, serious? The score?

5.The setting up of Robert Hanssen, the audience seeing him, as a personality, his prayer, the information given by Kate Burroughs, seeing him through Eric’s eyes? The information about the sex deviancy? His skills? Catholicism, prayer, devout? The interactions between the two? Eric’s disbelief? The explanation, audience shock about Hanssen, sharing Eric’s shock?

6.Chris Cooper as Robert Hanssen, the quality of his performance, interpretation? Seeing him at work, his role in the FBI, twenty-five years, the posing for the photograph and his not wanting it, objecting to people scrutinising him? His work with codes, his skills? The new department, having a clerk? The office, Eric and the photocopier, the introduction to Hanssen, the five questions, Hanssen and his continually testing people, Eric and the lie about the vodka? Hanssen and his confidence in reading people? His being absent from the room and Eric’s going in, Hanssen recognising this? Orders, Eric calling him Sir or Boss? The interactions with Rich Garces and the other security members? His work, his pride with codes? His comment on Eric’s book?

7.The introduction to Eric, on the stakeout, the couple fighting, the photos, his partners, their attitude towards his book, his ambitions, his acknowledging them and their change of heart? Kate Burroughs, calling him in, the interview, offering him the task? Juliana and his relationship, at home, their apartment, talking about his work, the bonds between them?

8.Robert Hanssen as a Catholic, member of Opus Dei (and its being mentioned only in passing)? His Jesuit education, his crucifix in his office, his rosary, prayer? His comments to Eric about his education, going to mass, saying the rosary daily? The suggestion that Eric and Juliana come to mass, his watching them at mass, his watching Juliana? The catechism of the Catholic church? The bookshop? His advice to Eric to pray – and Eric using prayer as a cover from being discovered? Bonnie, her love for her husband, talking with Juliana, the Latin mass, values and morals? The effect on Eric and Juliana?

9.The issue of sexual deviance, Hanssen’s dark side, the reports of his harassing women in the office, his interest in strippers, the DVDs, the use of entrapment? His sexual behaviour? The video with Bonnie? Eric looking at it? Posting the videos to Germany?

10.Kate Burroughs and the revelation of Hanssen’s crimes, the number of deaths of agents, Eric’s disbelief? The fact that he was not promoted, his seeing the FBI as careless, wanting to show them up, his pride? Discussion about ego? The discussion about Aldridge Ames? His being in charge of investigations and steering people not to uncover himself? His code name, the drops, the money (and the flashbacks to him hiding)? The escape plan? The final letter, the authorities reading it? Eric being persuaded to make him make the final drop, his being caught, his reaction at being caught, the discussions with Dan Plesac in the car, the variety of reasons for espionage but his not admitting to any of them? The final glimpse of him in the elevator, Eric being confronted, his asking for prayer?

11.Eric and his cover, the work as a clerk, the issue of the photocopying machines and computers, Hanssen telling Eric to take them? The driving? The arguments in the car about short cuts, Eric explaining about taking Juliana information from the bookshop? The discussion about their relationship? Eric and his defying Hanssen? Hanssen and his drinking, outside Eric’s apartment? Eric telling him the truth? Yet motivating him to make the drop? The success of the arrest? The background of Hanssen’s interest in Eric and Juliana – especially downloading the material about Parkinson’s Disease?

12.Kate Burroughs, tough, her work and career, her austere home, her paging and making demands on Eric, the information, the final discussion about his career? The other officers, Rich Garces, Dan Plesac? The squad, the cars following Hanssen, being able to report on all Hanssen’s movement? The final stakeout? The importance of getting the information from the disc, examining Hanssen’s car? Getting it back to him so that he did not suspect? Eric and the bag – and wanting to put things in the proper place, the satisfactory explanations for Hanssen? The fact that Hanssen did not read Eric well?

13.Eric and Juliana, the growing tensions, Eric’s eruptions, the secrets? Hanssen and Bonnie coming and making a meal at their place? The couple being uncomfortable?

14.The officers sometimes lacking confidence in Eric? His ability to argue his case, be persuasive and credible to Hanssen? His final decision and his not joining the FBI, becoming an agent? His legal work in Washington?