Film: The Good Shepherd

Wartime spy movie based on the events occurring up to the creation of the CIA. We jump back and forth through time, following the life of Edward Wilson through his agency recruitment, training and work, finally witnessing the toll it all takes on himself, his family and America itself.

Weighing in at well over two and a half hours, this was possibly a bad choice for a Friday night's film-going. The subject matter probably didn't help either; this was a very technical film that presumed a clued up audience who had knowledge of the context of the time. I didn't, and as such I think a few things went over my head, not least some of the plot detail. Looking at the blank faces of the people coming out, I suspect I wasn't alone in this.

But testing cinema aside, The Good Shepherd was a pretty decent flick. Production-wise, there was nothing to complain about - decent acting, direction and script were all present, and even those few that didn't quite get the film should be able to enjoy the more straightforward plot arcs it offers.

Otherwise it is one solely for the fans of the genre. For the rest of us, there seem to be way too many barriers to enjoying this film fully.