Breach

Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Laura Linley, Caroline Dhavernas, Kathleen Quinlan, Gary Cole

Dir. Billy Ray
Scr. Adam Mazer, William Rotko, Billy Ray

Breach is a clever movie about a clever man. It’s devoid of the usual action sequences you’d expect from a spy thriller, but is as compelling as anything from this genre, if not more. Breach isn’t interested in cheap and clichéd John Grisham-type thrills; rather, the tension is constant, the paranoia convincing and the pay-off rewarding.

Breach tells the story of the two months prior to FBI Agent Robert Hanssen’s arrest for espionage. Hanssen, finally caught in February 2001, spied for the Soviet Union and Russia against the United States for over 15 years. It is estimated that he made more than $1.5 million in cash and diamonds. His actions have been described as the worst intelligence disaster in American history. I rubbed my hands together in glee when I read about this movie – what a story!

By the way, I’m not spoiling the film by telling you what happens to Hanssen. Breach begins in a slightly unconventional way – with the announcement of Hanssen’s capture. Then “Two Months Earlier” and we watch as Eric O’Neill (rookie wannabe agent played by Phillippe) is assigned as Hanssen’s assistant, fed some line that he is a sexual deviant whose actions could reflect badly on the Bureau and asked to report on anything fishy. There’s nothing even slightly fishy – Hanssen is a God-fearing man, with a loving family, committed to making the Bureau more effective. Sure, he’s a little old-fashioned and somewhat jaded after 25 years with the FBI, but O’Neill grows to respect Hanssen. Until, of course, he is “read in” to the case against Hanssen, the Spy.

Cooper, as Hanssen, is on phenomenal form in this film. He’s a quiet actor, often speaking more with his eyes or facial expression than with words. He has such depth and character in his face that other actors would kill for. He plays Hanssen as somewhat of an enigma – we are left to puzzle at and muse over aspects of his personality to try and piece together the portrait of a man who would betray his country so completely. And, in the end, we are no closer to knowing exactly what motivates him. If you see this movie for no other reason, see it for Cooper’s performance. In start contrast to Hanssen is the character of O’Neill played by an actor who bugs me greatly, usually pouting his way through movies. But I understand the casting of Phillippe in this film – as a character who is young, cocky, and suddenly completely out of his depth – and he pulls it off for the most part. Linney, who plays the Agent who puts O’Neill on the case, is her usual brilliant self. For my money, Linney is the most versatile and competent American actress working today. Also a good turn from newbie Dhavernas as O’Neill’s wife.

Breach isn’t without flaws however. There are a couple of continuity errors that annoyed me. Also, we are left to wonder a few things about the relationship between Hanssen and O’Neill – why does Hanssen trust him so readily? That they are both religious men just didn’t convince me. Could O’Neill really outsmart Hanssen, a man who had evaded detection for over 15 years? Very doubtful.

I guess, in the end, perhaps Hanssen wanted to be caught, wanted to get the credit for doing what he did, wanted to matter. But he must have known the price he would pay – life imprisonment without chance of parole, spending 23 hours a day in solitary confinement. The fact I was left asking such questions is perhaps the point – did the filmmakers really want to serve up the answers on a silver platter or are there no answers to be had, just the story of a man who did incredibly illegal but brilliant things for so long?

This film will frustrate people who like tidy endings. It will also frustrate people who like more action and less talk – this is a film heavy on dialogue and meaningful expressions. If you are this type of movie-goer, avoid Breach. But if you want a tense, intelligent, nuanced trip to the cinema, see this film. I don’t doubt it will make it into my Top Ten for 2007.

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Robert Hanssen: Can you imagine sitting in a room with a bunch of your colleagues, everybody trying to guess the identity of a mole and all the while, it's you they're after, you they're looking for? That must be very satisfying, wouldn't you think?