O'Neill finds no evidence of Hanssen leading a secret double life and develops a growing respect for his boss, leading him to confront his handler in the undercover assignment, Kate Burroughs. A devout Catholic who is also a member of Opus Dei, Hanssen urges O'Neill, a lapsed Catholic, and his secular East German-born wife to become active churchgoers. He calls the bureau's information technology systems antiquated and laments the lack of coordination and information exchange with other intelligence agencies.Įventually, Hanssen becomes a friend and mentor to O'Neill and takes a personal interest in him and his wife Juliana, who is suspicious of Hanssen and resents his intrusions. He frequently rails against the bureaucracy of the FBI and complains that only those who regularly "shoot guns" are considered for senior positions instead of those, like himself, who are involved in vital national security matters. Initially, Hanssen insists on a strict formality between the two men. Hanssen has been recalled from a detail post at the State Department to FBI headquarters ostensibly to head up a new division specializing in Information Assurance. The film received generally positive reviews and grossed $41 million on a $23 million budget.Įric O'Neill is a young ambitious FBI employee assigned to work undercover as a clerk to Robert Hanssen, a senior agent he is told is suspected of being a sexual deviant. It stars Chris Cooper as Hanssen and Ryan Phillippe as Eric O'Neill, the FBI Investigator who helped bring about his downfall. The film is based on the true story of Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent convicted of spying for the Soviet Union and later Russia for more than two decades.
WATCH BREACH 2007 MOVIE
If only the movie had trusted Cooper's subtle performance, allowing that to convey the suspense.Breach is a 2007 American spy thriller film directed by Billy Ray, who wrote the screenplay with Adam Mazer and William Rotko. Breach uses some predictable plot structures, including speedy crosscutting during a scene in which Eric must delay Hanssen's return to the office, a sensational showdown in the dark woods, and heavy-handed religious iconography to pass judgment on Hanssen. Though Hanssen disdains most FBI regulations, he's adapted well to what he calls the Bureau's "gun culture." And though Eric mocks Hanssen's stiffness, he's also impressed by his sensitivity and religious faith.Įric's own betrayals appear to be heroic in a traditional sense, yet he feels terrible about his choices.
But much as Eric embodies a stalwart, if fretful, morality, Hanssen remains a cipher, apparently untroubled by his lies and hypocrisies. Parallel investigations and multiple layers of deceit are galvanized by smart, taut, mostly understated performances. The film focuses on Eric and Hanssen's tight, tense association, as each suffers differently for the lies he's forced to tell. This successful production should please those with an appreciation for complex dramas with a basis in factual characters.īreach can't seem to get around the mystery that Hanssen presents. American-born Cinematographer Tak Fujimoto creates mystic images, while Composer Michael Danna matches his compositions and carries the moods. As always, the strength of the central performances will differ with each viewer’s attachment to those cast in respective roles but generally, all acquit themselves well, with Chris Cooper particularly eerie as Hanssen.ĭirector/co-screen adaptor Billy Ray thankfully avoids over-indulging in too much modern sensationalism - apart from the totally fictionalized, sexual perversions of the main character. That said, this production remains superior movie entertainment. While based on specific amazing facts regarding anti-American spy Robert Hanssen, many situations are fabrications of the screenwriter. Thanks to a friend’s recommendation I came late to this one and while constantly watchable (in fact quite engrossing) Breach is to be taken as a Hollywood product.
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