Loading...The Good Shepherd is yet another classic that missed the blockbuster boat at the box office. With Damon and Jolie in the lead and Robert De Niro as it's director, the movie features a plethora of great stars including Alec Baldwin, John Turturro, De Niro and Joe Pesci.
It is the story of Edward Wilson, a patriot who is inducted into an elite society to serve his country. Edward must make difficult choices to fulfill his role. He must choose between his love and being a gentleman. he must choose between his duty and taking the life of one he respects. Then he must decide between protecting his own and his duty to the country.
Damon gives an awesome performance as the stoic Wilson and Jolie portrays his neglected wife to perfection. The ploy moves continuously between past and present and moves from the US to London to Berlin and finally to Africa.
It captures several events of the cold war, including the Bay of Pigs, which it somewhat controversially claims failed, because one of our own operatives betrayed us. It takes us to Berlin and the race by the US and Russia to get the best of Hitler's Scientists. It also shows the formation of the CIA where Wilson would serve his country.
There were some scenes of torture that were hard to watch but were very necessary for this well conceived plot. DeNiro originally intended to make this movie a trilogy like the Godfather. I hope that the poor box office results do not change his mind. This movie is a must see for all spy movie buffs. It is more than a spy thriller and is one of the most important Historical movies of our time, give or take a few poetic licenses.
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