The Recruit

REVIEW
Handsome James Clayton (Farrell) is an MIT computer whiz who has a difficult choice to make: stay the course and become rich in computer programming, or accept the offer of becoming a spy from very persistent CIA recruiter Walter Burke (Pacino). Since Burke has hinted that Clayton's dead father may have been an agent, his decision is made all the more easier. It's the fallout that follows -- from training school to field work -- that sets the stage for an alternately exciting and bombastic espionage yarn that's as gritty as it is implausible. Pacino fits nicely into the role of the grizzled veteran; and the magnetic Farrell gives an intense, vigorous performance. Director Donaldson's pacing is even and sure, and he maintains credibility in the film's first half. It's the finale of The Recruit, given to one too many twists, where things begin to unravel, turning what had been enjoyable into something of a head-scratcher.