Contains Spoilers!!! . . . well, at least currently my favorite movie. My all time favorite would have to be Fight Club. As you may have figured out, I'm a pretty big Brad Pitt fan, which is the main reason I saw this movie.
Okay, we'll talk about the bad aspects first (there weren't many). Obviously this movie wasn't setting out to be the next James Bond or True Lies. They were looking to portray a more accurate story of what spies do. I believe they succeeded at this on most levels, however, it still felt a bit like hollywood. Also, Catherine McCormack was decent as the love interest, but not that great. I don't really think she held up well opposite Pitt and Redford.
Okay, the good aspects. I thought that Pitt and Redford's performances were amazing!!! I loved their characters. Robert Redford was obviously one of the best spies that the CIA had. Everything was by the book. As far as he was concerned, if you deviate from the plan even a little bit, you run too great a risk of blowing the operation. Perhaps my favorite scene was on the rooftop in Berlin after Brad Pitt had to leave one of his assets behind.
Tom: "Nathan, what happened, what went wrong?" Nathan: "Nothing." Tom: Nothing? Nathan: Actually, one thing: don't ever question me again. Ever. Tom: What? Nathan: I give you an order you take it. You don't ask why. That ten seconds on the phone could have blown the op. Tom: The Op was bringing Schmidt across. Nathan: The op was setting up Ann Cathcart and your end had to look legit. Tom: What are you telling me, Schmidt was bait? Nathan: Yes. Tom: Nathan, they executed him on a sh***y Cellar floor!!!! Nathan: And it could have been you, and let me tell you something about Schmidt; he went to the Russians a week ago and said he had an American contact, someone he could use. Tom: Don't tell me that! Don't f***ing tell me that!! You didn't look into his eyes!!! Don't tell me that!!!! Nathan: He was your asset, someone you use for information. Tom: Ahhh, Jesus Christ. You don't just trade these people like they're baseball cards. This is not a f***ing game. Nathan: Yes it is. And this is no kids game either, this is a whole other type of game. And it's serioius and it's dangerous and it's not one you wanna lose. Tom: Nathan, we killed this man. We used him and we killed him. (Nathan says nothing) Tom: Okay, then you gotta help me understand this one, Nathan, what are we doing here? And don't gimme some bullshit about the greater good. Nathan: That's exactly what it is. Because unfortunately what we do is very necessary and if you're not willing to sacrifice scum like Schmidt for those who want nothing more than their freedom then you better take a long hard look at your chosen profession my friend because it doesn't get any easier. You wanna walk -- You wanna walk? Walk. Tom: You shoulda told me about the op. You used me. Nathan: I did and listen to this 'cuz this is important: if you were to pull some crazy stunt over there if you were to get nabbed I wouldn't come after you. You go off the reservation: I will not come after you. (get's up and walks away) Tom: F**k your rules, Nathan. (looks back) Nathan: Okay. But tonight they saved your life.
You'll notice from that scene that Redford's character, Nathan, followed the rules so strictly and was so careful about not getting caught or anyone he was responsible for not getting caught, that he was willing to sacrifice one of their informant's life. You'll notice at the end of the movie, however, that Nathan did rescue Tom from pulling "some crazy stunt". This goes to show how much Nathan actually cared for Tom.
Nathan also taught Bishop to "put away some money so you can die some place warm. Don't ever touch it. Not for anyone. If it comes to you or them: send flowers." Nathan had saved up $282 000 for his retirement that he spent without hesitation to get Tom out of the Chinese prison.
Basically, Tom ended up changing Nathan. The student teaching the teacher. Nathan wasn't following the rules so rigidly by the end of the movie.
Whew, okay, I gotta go to class. So I'm gonna write down my less inteligent thoughts really quick. I thought that the blue and white jacket Brad Pitt had on during the scene where he was being trained was sweeeeeet. I want it. I thought the fact that the movie took place over sixteen years was convincing enough. Pitt and Redford don't seem to get much older in real life either. I guess Pitt was supposed to go from early twenties to late thirties and Redford from early forties to late fifties. Convincing enough I thought. Oh, and yes I'm aware that it's quite frightening that I knew that scene off by heart. I've just watched the movie so many times.
Anyway, I loved this movie. Great acting, action, and plot. 9/10.
Okay, we'll talk about the bad aspects first (there weren't many). Obviously this movie wasn't setting out to be the next James Bond or True Lies. They were looking to portray a more accurate story of what spies do. I believe they succeeded at this on most levels, however, it still felt a bit like hollywood. Also, Catherine McCormack was decent as the love interest, but not that great. I don't really think she held up well opposite Pitt and Redford.
Okay, the good aspects. I thought that Pitt and Redford's performances were amazing!!! I loved their characters. Robert Redford was obviously one of the best spies that the CIA had. Everything was by the book. As far as he was concerned, if you deviate from the plan even a little bit, you run too great a risk of blowing the operation. Perhaps my favorite scene was on the rooftop in Berlin after Brad Pitt had to leave one of his assets behind.
Tom: "Nathan, what happened, what went wrong?" Nathan: "Nothing." Tom: Nothing? Nathan: Actually, one thing: don't ever question me again. Ever. Tom: What? Nathan: I give you an order you take it. You don't ask why. That ten seconds on the phone could have blown the op. Tom: The Op was bringing Schmidt across. Nathan: The op was setting up Ann Cathcart and your end had to look legit. Tom: What are you telling me, Schmidt was bait? Nathan: Yes. Tom: Nathan, they executed him on a sh***y Cellar floor!!!! Nathan: And it could have been you, and let me tell you something about Schmidt; he went to the Russians a week ago and said he had an American contact, someone he could use. Tom: Don't tell me that! Don't f***ing tell me that!! You didn't look into his eyes!!! Don't tell me that!!!! Nathan: He was your asset, someone you use for information. Tom: Ahhh, Jesus Christ. You don't just trade these people like they're baseball cards. This is not a f***ing game. Nathan: Yes it is. And this is no kids game either, this is a whole other type of game. And it's serioius and it's dangerous and it's not one you wanna lose. Tom: Nathan, we killed this man. We used him and we killed him. (Nathan says nothing) Tom: Okay, then you gotta help me understand this one, Nathan, what are we doing here? And don't gimme some bullshit about the greater good. Nathan: That's exactly what it is. Because unfortunately what we do is very necessary and if you're not willing to sacrifice scum like Schmidt for those who want nothing more than their freedom then you better take a long hard look at your chosen profession my friend because it doesn't get any easier. You wanna walk -- You wanna walk? Walk. Tom: You shoulda told me about the op. You used me. Nathan: I did and listen to this 'cuz this is important: if you were to pull some crazy stunt over there if you were to get nabbed I wouldn't come after you. You go off the reservation: I will not come after you. (get's up and walks away) Tom: F**k your rules, Nathan. (looks back) Nathan: Okay. But tonight they saved your life.
You'll notice from that scene that Redford's character, Nathan, followed the rules so strictly and was so careful about not getting caught or anyone he was responsible for not getting caught, that he was willing to sacrifice one of their informant's life. You'll notice at the end of the movie, however, that Nathan did rescue Tom from pulling "some crazy stunt". This goes to show how much Nathan actually cared for Tom.
Nathan also taught Bishop to "put away some money so you can die some place warm. Don't ever touch it. Not for anyone. If it comes to you or them: send flowers." Nathan had saved up $282 000 for his retirement that he spent without hesitation to get Tom out of the Chinese prison.
Basically, Tom ended up changing Nathan. The student teaching the teacher. Nathan wasn't following the rules so rigidly by the end of the movie.
Whew, okay, I gotta go to class. So I'm gonna write down my less inteligent thoughts really quick. I thought that the blue and white jacket Brad Pitt had on during the scene where he was being trained was sweeeeeet. I want it. I thought the fact that the movie took place over sixteen years was convincing enough. Pitt and Redford don't seem to get much older in real life either. I guess Pitt was supposed to go from early twenties to late thirties and Redford from early forties to late fifties. Convincing enough I thought. Oh, and yes I'm aware that it's quite frightening that I knew that scene off by heart. I've just watched the movie so many times.
Anyway, I loved this movie. Great acting, action, and plot. 9/10.
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