Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Mathilde the Guild Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

FilmBuff1994 The Recruit is a decent movie with a well developed storyline and a talented cast. It's a fun ride that is quite thrilling, as we're taken on a journey with Colin Farrell's character, seeing him trying to discover what's really going on with his investigation for the CIA, it will certainly keep your attention from start to finish. It could have been a seven or eight, but I had to give this movie a six because it is jam packed with problems, the biggest one is that there are way too many twists, the characters perspectives of what they're going changes constantly, to a degree that it gets way too predictable, when one shocking twist comes along, it gets more and more obvious that another one is soon to come. My other issue is that Al Pacino's character is very poorly written, I get that he is suppose to be a mysterious man, but we never end up really finding anything out about him, he gives Farrell certain pieces of information about his past, but it is then suggested later on that everything he said could have been a lie, I found this very frustrating and I think that since he was such a blank canvas that Pacino dosen't get to deliver the performance we know he can give, this certainly isn't another Scent of a Woman, that's for sure. It's an enjoyable film despite being heavy on flaws, and I would recommend the Recruit if you ever see it on television and there is nothing else on, but you definitely shouldn't go out of your way to see it. A highly promising CIA trainee catches the eye of an agency veteran who begins to act as his mentor. Best Performance: Colin Farrell Worst Performance: Bridget Moynahan

tbills2 Colin Farrell is the recruit, and Al Pacino is the instructor. CIA is the training grounds, and to be the best and beat the rest is the mission. Bridget Moynahan is the mark, and figuring out the truth from the untruth is the objective. Deceit is the name of the game, your identity is the ante, your life is the stake, and glory is the rake. Colin Farrell is the cardplayer, and Bridget Moynahan could be the winnings. Al Pacino is probably the dealer, and everything is wild!The Recruit is a really good movie. Colin Farrell stands out, while Al Pacino leads the film into relevance. The relationship between Ferrell and Moynahan is really good. Colin Farrell is searching for information about his father and he may have found his answers in the CIA. Al Pacino is the suspense. The Recruit is really good because of Al Pacino and Colin Farrell and Bridget Moynahan's performances. It has great CIA fantasy nostalgia and has the same identity to it as Training Day. Roger Donaldson is the director, The Recruit is the movie, and everything is a test!

Jafar Iqbal I can't help but love watching Al Pacino act. It's a joy, really. Like most of us, it started with 'The Godfather'. But you have those other gems, like 'Dog Day Afternoon', and 'Scent Of A Woman', and 'Heat', and 'Serpico'. I could go on. But like that other amazing Italian-American actor, Robert DeNiro, Pacino has developed the bad habit of acting in substandard films.Which brings me onto 'The Recruit'. Al Pacino's in it, but we're actually following Colin Farrell, who plays James Clayton. James is a brilliant young CIA trainee who is asked by his mentor Walter Burke – that's Pacino – to find and stop a mole in the Agency.It's probably a bit harsh of me to say 'The Recruit' is substandard. It's not terrible to watch, and it's actually quite good in parts. There's a real chemistry between Pacino and Farrell. You expect Pacino to be great (he is), but Farrell really holds his own too. You can track his improvement as an actor through his filmography, and this is more towards the better end of his performances. Not quite 'In Bruges', but still strong.While the idea of CIA training and top-secret recruiting is exciting, it doesn't quite translate into a great film. At least, it doesn't translate into this film being great. It makes some for some nice first-half set pieces as the trainees are put through their paces. Once the tone of the film changes, though, it becomes less interesting, and slightly predictable.I also really don't believe the relationship between James and Layla (Bridget Moynahan). They seem to fall in love instantly and it doesn't work. Bridget Moynahan doesn't work at all, really. It could have been much better if it was a better actor. Sorry, Bridget.Overall though, the film is decent. Not really much more than that. Some great acting, yes, but it isn't enough here. First half promise is not lived up to in the second half, and that's a bit of a shame.

CinefanR Al Pacino is the main reason to watch "The Recruit". The second would be his pairing with C. Farrell in this mentor- student relationship that is entirely predictable, but still fun to watch due to their on screen chemistry. The script is average and it has its embarrassing moments (why do we have to learn that Pacino's character urinates like a racehorse every two hours?!), and the second half of the film drags as a result of Pacino's absence. When he's off screen, the whole thing is a bore, since it's him that holds it together. The man can read a telephone book and make it sound interesting.'Pacino – The Mentor' works every time, and we just don't have enough of that, even if it has developed into a genre of its own. Here he's just showing off, obviously having a good time as the seasoned, jaded CIA senior officer playing his tricks on young minds. Farrell puts on quite a show as the impressionable and naïve student, so 'The Recruit' is enjoyable despite the formulaic development. There is no suspense in this flick whatsoever, but the "Pacino – Farrell" duo gets 10 stars.