Meet Edward Wilson (Matt Damon), a young man who is determined to do what is expected of him and serve his country to his utmost ability. Even when that means abandoning the woman he thinks he loves, Laura (Tammy Blanchard), for the girl he impregnated, Margaret (Angelina Jolie) or "Clover" -- especially considering that Clover is the daughter of a senator, and the sister of one of Edward's good friends. He need not have worried, though, because his job with the CIA took Edward away on the day he and Clover were married, offering wedded bliss from a distance.

For years Edward is entrenched in protecting his country, never returning home, and saving the US from the Nazi threat in Germany. On his return home, family life blows up in his face...and so does a top-secret mission in Cuba, resulting in the deaths of many good soldiers. Very few people knew about the mission and each of them are wondering who leaked the information...and someone has sent a cryptic recording and picture to Edward that reveals who did it. Now the entire agency has to work out the clues and find out where these came from -- and who is in them - before any more valuable information falls into the hands of the enemy.

Now I'll admit that I'm a sucker for spy films, provided that they're well done. The cast, which includes Robert De Niro, Alec Baldwin, and William Hurt was enough to get my attention - plus the recommendations of a number of friends and family. I finally had to give in and put the film on the Netflix list, just to see what all the fuss was about. What I found was a story that gets pretty involved, throws in a lot of intrigue, and works in enough unpredictability to definitely make me happy.

The only issue I had with the story line is that it does have a few problems with showing the passage of time. This chronicles Wilson's career from his student days until sometime when his son is an adult. Unfortunately, it can get a little confusing because a few scenes tend to go by in a new time frame before it shows something that reveals that time HAS gone by. This makes the story seem a little choppy and can make it a little difficult to follow.

Whatever you generally expect in the plot of a CIA movie, that's probably about what this is, with some differences. It is fairly understated in parts and actually relies on story rather than special effects, heart-pounding chase scenes, and lots of things that go boom. The overall feel is something similar to that of Breach, which chronicles the true story of Robert Philip Hanssen. There are a couple of scenes that are not particularly graphic, but are nonetheless shocking for their cold-hearted execution.

Acting doesn't get much better than this. As expected, the top-notch cast delivers great performances despite the somewhat confusing time line. Even Matt Damon, who has had some issues with past performances, did an excellent job.

Overall, this particular movie may be a bit overshadowed by the profusion of spy movies in the last couple of years, but for any audience that's not tired of them just yet this is a worthwhile watch. There have definitely been better, but there have been far worse. One thing that The Good Shepherd does have is the kind of flair for the dramatic for which its director, Robert De Niro, is well-known. All-in-all an enjoyable movie for an evening viewing.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older