Breach Directors: Billy Ray Writer: Adam Mazer,William Rotko, Billy Ray Starring: Ryan Phillipe, Chris Cooper, Laura Linney Genre: Drama, thriller and biopic Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 110 minutes Seef Cineplex II at 11.45am, 1.45pm, 4.15pm, 6.45pm, 9.15pm and 11.45pm
Moving briskly from equivocator Stephen Glass to the chairman of the Benedict Arnold Fan Club, Robert Hanssen, director Billy Ray turns his tonal focus from Shattered Glass’s journalistic felony to high crime in the intelligence agency. In what seems to be a new trend of cinematically capturing events before they have actually played out, Breach reenacts what is widely accepted as the greatest fracture of FBI security in the history of the organisation. Following possible terrorists and their contacts, Eric O’Neil (Ryan Phillipe) eagerly tries to discuss bureau protocol with his team, only to be ignored and have his well-prepared report on the subject shoved back in his face. That is, until he is dragged into a bureau conference room on a Sunday to meet his superior and head agent Kate Burroughs (Laura Linney). It’s here that O’Neil is asked to shadow Russian intelligence specialist Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper) for what is originally agreed to be sexually perverse activities. It isn’t till O’Neil is taken under wing by the intelligence expert that Burroughs reveals that Hanssen has actually been selling information to the Russians for some time and has cost the government billions of dollars and uncountable agent lives. Real or not, the story being told in Breach vibrantly echoes current fears and alludes that all our blame and reasoning might be pointed in the wrong direction. – Chris Cabin