atlasmb Disappointing. What else can you say about a film that is much less than the sum of its parts? Second-time director Robert DeNiro does a credible job with this story about the CIA and the inner rot and sickness that must result from an organization based upon secrecy and lies. But the story itself lacks drama as told.Sporting one of the greatest casts ever assembled, "The Good Shepherd" follows predictable plot lines and regurgitates the commonly accepted history of an organization that seeks to make laws, not follow them. How can you lower your expectations when a film features Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Alec Baldwin, Robert De Niro, William Hurt, Timothy Hutton, Gabriel Macht, Lee Pace, Joe Pesci, Eddie Redmayne, John Turturro and others?Damon's character, Edward Wilson, is at the center of every scene. He is played as a solitary, emotionally-detached, emotionless drone who feels more like a victim than a perpetrator. The plot is disjointed. And, perhaps more importantly, it lacks a point of view. Not that we need to be told what to think, but a film that lacks a consistent or comprehensive viewpoint is like a ship without a rudder: it will travel and it will arrive at a (random) destination, but the journey will reveal little except that winds blow.Edward Wilson certainly is a character buffeted by the winds, but they are mostly winds of unknown origin and hidden intent. It's a story that rings true, but it is uncompelling.

Richard Ambrose Just a quick observation (correction) on the synopsis for The Good Shepherd. In the past I could have posted this in our discussion forum that was taken away from us by the management. I still miss it. The author of the synopsis repeatedly used the term "videotape" in describing the recording that Edward Wilson finds in an envelope as opposed to the "audiotape" that was actually delivered. "Videotapes" in a home consumer format did not exist back in 1961. Prerecorded two-inch size videotape had to be played on an industrial sized Ampex VRX-1000 Mark IV four-head video playback system with additional stationary heads for the sound track. There is even a scene of Edward Wilson playing the "audiotape" on a reel-to-reel player. That's my 2 cents.

grrwuff Yet another Hollywood 'historic' movie to make good Americans feel educated on war... Admitted, I only lasted an hour or so, but the Hollywood dramaturgi with E V E R Y dialog meant to shove it down your throat and leave nothing to your own precious imagination, makes me sick .. Stop it, Hollywood, its getting embarrassing to watch! Cartoonish and almost resembling the cinematography of the silent movies of Keaton or Chaplin... And WHY, Matt, just WHY? Didn't you read the script or are you just another good school boy? Pathetic... I give it 5 out of 10 on leaving me indifferent and seriously underwhelmed. America needs an age of enlightment, so Go Bernie... ☺

freemanpatrick7 This one pathetic movie. Two brother's who have no purpose in life. They find and become obsessed with the same woman. One brother marries her while the other one cheats with her, then dumps her. There is not one single redeeming quality in either one of the brothers. I don't know what the other reviewers were smoking when they watched this movie. Maybe they were just glad it wasn't another Johnny Depp flop and that was all they needed to give it such high praise. I highly do not recommend this one. I will say, in all fairness, the acting performances were very good across the board - every single actor delivered on that. Cinematography was also very good. But the plot sucked big time.