Movie Review: Breach – Starring Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillippe
Movie: Breach (PG-13)
Released: February 16th, 2007
Runtime: 1 hr. 50 min.
Ticket Price: $5.00 Early Matinee
Refreshments: Red Vines
Starring: Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe and Laura Linney
Director: Billy Ray
Rating: Worth a Full Price Ticket
Synopsis: Based on the true story of convicted spy Robert Hanssen
Review: Breach is a slow moving but very solid dramatic spy thriller. The trailer would lead you to believe there is a bit more action and pace to the movie. It does, however, do a good job of building the suspense even though you know going in that they catch him in the end. Once you get used to the rate at which the story unfolds you are gripped by the cat and mouse game being played out.
It is based on Eric O’Neill’s account of the events leading to the take down of one of the worst traitors of all time, Robert Hanssen. Ryan Phillippe (Flags of Our Fathers, Antitrust) plays O’Neill, who was tasked to work for Hanssen, played by Chris Cooper (Syriana, The Bourne Identity), and helped to bring him down. Now a lawyer, he consulted on the movie and was very happy with how things turned out. The movie follows the final stage of the long investigation that caught Hanssen in the act and lead to his conviction.
Ryan Phillippe does a great job of portraying the young up and comer surveillance expert who is thrown into the biggest treason case the FBI has ever investigated. He is a guy in over his head but who sticks it out because of the importance of what he is doing. Trying to balance family life and a boss who may be the worst traitor in U.S. History. The pressure he must have been under during that time had to be unthinkable.
Chris Cooper is outstanding in his portrayal of Hanssen. From the outside he looked like a god fearing, church going family man but underneath was sadistic, perverted and brilliantly evil. Cooper quietly conveys all these layers and more with an intense skillfulness. Hansen was a dark and sinister man who basically did it because he could.
The supporting cast is superb as well. Laura Linney (Man of the Year, The Life of David Gale) as Agent Burroughs who has given her whole career and life to bringing this man down. Caroline Dhavernas (TV’s Wonderfalls) as O’Neill’s wife who is worried and just wants to know what her husband is involved in. When you add in Gary Cole (TV’s The West Wing), Dennis Haysbert (TV’s The Unit) and Bruce Davison (X-Men) you have one exceedingly strong cast.
Today is just a couple days shy of six years from the day the FBI arrested Hanssen making a drop of classified materials on Sunday, February 18th, 2001. If you are in the mood for a drama with some suspense, great acting and a true story, then it is worth making a drop yourself. Of some cash on a full price ticket that is. You won’t be disappointed.
What did you think of Breach? Leave a comment with your short review.
Movie Review: Music and Lyrics – Starring Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant
Released: February 14th, 2007
Runtime: 1 hr. 36 min.
Ticket Price: $7.00 Matinee
Refreshments: Small Popcorn and Milk Duds
Starring: Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore and Brad Garrett
Director: Marc Lawrence
Rating: Worth a Full Price Ticket
Synopsis: Hugh Grant plays Alex Fletcher, a former 1980s pop star, who now spends his time playing small venues at theme parks and class reunions. The big pop star of the now is Cora Corman and she wants him to write her a new song about her recent breakup and finding love again. He hasn’t written anything in a decade and that was just the music, as his former band mate was the lyricist. Alex comes across Sophie, played by Drew Barrymore, his substitute plant lady. He thinks she could be just what he is looking for in a song-writing partner even though she doesn’t think so. Comedy and romance ensues.
Review: Music and Lyrics is a romantic comedy that hits all the right notes. Cliché? Well, yes, both that previous statement and the movie are, but it wouldn’t be a romantic comedy without them. A good romantic comedy doesn’t have to be full of originality to be good. It needs to have characters you care about in a somewhat believable, however contrived, situation and ones you want to see end up together. It also has to be funny. Music and Lyrics does both very well, with a story about second chances in life and love while simultaneously lampooning pop music of the 1980s and today.
Hugh Grant as an aging former pop star, Alex Fletcher, from a fictitious group called “Pop,” was great. He has most of the good lines in the movie. Seeing him try and relive his glory days at amusement parks and class reunions was very funny. Especially the 1987 class reunion scene and who is crowding the stage and who isn’t. He gets a chance to get into the spotlight once again, if he can write a new song for of the biggest pop stars of today.
The song is for Cora Corman, the stand in for a Britney Spears and others type. She has recently broken up with her boyfriend and found Buddhism, although very superficially. Her attempting to show her newfound spirituality through her music is hilarious and very Madonna. She wants Alex, whose songs got her through a tough time as a child, to write a new song for her. It just has to be about finding a “Way Back into Love.” He doesn’t have long to complete the task and was never much for writing lyrics, as he was the one providing the melody for his former band’s songs.
Drew Barrymore embodies that sweet, semi-neurotic cuteness that has served her well in movies like Never Been Kissed
While Music and Lyrics is very enjoyable, it does suffer from what most movies do. It gives away too much in the trailer and promos. At least in this case, they didn’t give it all away. One of the jokes in the trailer doesn’t even make the final cut of the movie.
Harkening back to the 1980s in which I grew up, this movie was “Rad!” and worth a full price ticket. What did you think of Music and Lyrics? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
A Breach in the Bridge to Terabithia by a Ghost Rider Needs Inspecting
This is the first week of the year where there are two movies opening on Friday that I want to see. Actually, three this week, if you include Music and Lyrics, which opened yesterday, on Valentine’s Day. The two movies are Breach and Ghost Rider.
In Breach we have Chris Cooper as the ultimate traitor and spy who sold secrets to the Soviet Union for more than 20 years. The cast looks great and the story is perfect for the movie treatment, a taught dramatic action thriller based on a true story.
In Ghost Rider we have Nicolas Cage playing the title character. He looks and sounds like Elvis meets Evel Knievel set a blaze. A comic book adaptation is always a big draw for me, even if it is one I am not that familiar with.
After a few weeks of romantic comedies, I think it is time for some drama. So, on Friday I am going to go see Breach and then over the weekend or early next week go see Ghost Rider as well.
What movie looks good to you this weekend?
New Movie Releases for Valentine’s Day Week
I really like this week for new movies, especially after the last few. We get two new romantic comedies today, Valentine’s Day, and three new movies on Friday. That is five premieres for the movie going public this weekend to choose from. I already went and saw Music and Lyrics today and will choose between Breach, Ghost Rider and Bridge to Terabithia on Friday. Which one looks good to you?
New Movies Opening on Valentine’s Day, February 14th:
Movie: Music and Lyrics (PG-13)
Starring: Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore and Brad Garrett
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Synopsis: Hugh Grant plays Alex Fletcher, a former ‘80s pop star who now spends his time playing small venues at theme parks and class reunions. The big pop star of the now is Cora Corman and she wants him to write her a new song about her recent breakup and finding love again. He hasn’t written anything in a decade and that was just the music as his former band mate was the lyricist. Alex comes across Sophie, played by Drew Barrymore, his substitute plant lady. He thinks she could be just what he is looking for in a song-writing partner even though she doesn’t think so. Comedy and romance ensues.
First Thoughts: Since I have already seen it, I would say that it is pretty good. It made me laugh and I really liked the play on the pop music
Movie: Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls (PG-13)
Starring: Gabrielle Union, Idris Elba and Louis Gossett Jr.
Genre: Romantic Comedy Drama
Synopsis: When a single father loses his kids to his terrible ex-wife who deals drugs, he does whatever he can to get them back. Monty meets Julia while working as a chauffer. She is a beautiful but tough attorney. He gets her to help him try and get his kids back. While doing so a romance starts to bloom. They are from two different worlds. Will they be able to mesh them together and get his kids back in the process?
First Thoughts: This one looks good as well, although with a lot more drama thrown in than Music and Lyrics has.
New Movies Releasing on Friday, February 16th:
Movie: Breach (PG-13)
Starring: Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe and Laura Linney
Genre: Action Suspense Thriller
Synopsis: Based on the true story of convicted spy Robert Hanssen
First Thoughts: This is one of those cat and mouse type movies. In this case since it is based on a true story, the outcome is already known. The fun comes in watching how it comes to be, the journey. In this case it has a stellar cast and looks to be very well done.
Movie: Bridge to Terabithia (PG)
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb and Zooey Deschanel
Genre: Family Adventure Fantasy
Synopsis: The young Jesse becomes friends with Leslie, the class loner and his life is changed when they create their own imaginary world. They call it Terabithia and every kind of magical creature you can dream up lives there. When trouble arises in the real world, Jesse and Leslie hideaway in their fantasy place and rule the land as king and queen. Based on the award-winning novel
First Thoughts: Looks like a great time for those with youngsters in tow.
Movie: Ghost Rider (PG-13)
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Peter Fonda and Sam Elliott
Genre: Action Sci Fi Thriller
Synopsis: Young Johnny Blaze is a stunt cyclist who sells his soul to Mephistopheles to save the life of his dying father, which causes him to part ways with the beautiful Roxanne Simpson, his one true love. Johnny comes in contact with Roxanne again, now a reporter. Mephistopheles offers to give Johnny back his soul if he will become Ghost Rider and defeat his son, Blackheart. Johnny takes the deal. Based on the Marvel comic book character.
First Thoughts: It sounds kind of cheesy when you read the synopsis but I am willing to give most comic books into movies a shot. Hoping for another Spider-Man or Batman Begins. We shall see.
Ghost Rider will probably be the big movie of the weekend even. What do you think the movie going audience will be looking for this weekend? Leave your picks in the comments. Come back tomorrow and find out which movie gets the nod on Friday and a review of Music and Lyrics.
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