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"BREACH" (2007) (Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Moderate Heavy Moderate Heavy Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild Minor Mild None Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy None Moderate Moderate Heavy QUICK TAKE: Drama/Suspense: A rookie agent is assigned to work with, observe, and collect evidence that might prove his new boss, a legendary FBI veteran, might be working for the enemy. PLOT: It's early 2001 and Eric O'Neill (RYAN PHILLIPPE) is employed by the FBI with dreams of becoming an agent. He gets the chance when supervisor Kate Burroughs (LAURA LINNEY) picks him for an assignment that could be one of the most important in the agency's history. That's because the powers-that-be believe that veteran agent and computer expert Robert Hanssen (CHRIS COOPER) is actually working as a double agent for the Russians. Kate also informs Eric that Robert is a sexual deviant, thus making the young man unsure of what to expect on his first day working for the 56-year-old veteran who's been made head of the fictitious Information Assurance Division. Robert comes off as cold and calculating, and untrusting of his supervisors. Yet, his strong religious convictions and family ties to his wife Bonnie (KATHLEEN QUINLAN) and their kids make Eric second-guess the assessment made by Kate as well as fellow supervisors Rich Garces (GARY COLE) and Dan Plesac (DENNIS HAYSBERT). To make matters worse for Eric, he can't tell his wife Juliana (CAROLINE DHAVERNAS) about his real assignment, a fact that leads to tension between them, especially when Robert and Bonnie infiltrate their lives, pushing their religious beliefs on them. From that point on and despite his doubts, Eric tries to note and collect any sort of incriminating evidence against Robert, all while trying to prevent his new boss from discovering what's occurring. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Older teens might be interested in it, which also holds true for fans of anyone in the cast. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For violence, sexual content and language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: CHRIS COOPER plays a veteran agent accused of being both a double agent and sexual deviant. Cold and calculating, he doesn't suffer fools and doesn't trust his supervisors, but he eventually takes Eric under his wing, especially in terms of trying to push his religious beliefs on him and Juliana. RYAN PHILLIPPE plays a young man who wants to be an agent and thus takes the job spying on Robert while working as his personal assistant. As he second-guesses the assessment and keeps the true nature of his work secret from his wife (leading to tension between them), he must stay one step ahead of his boss. He tells various white lies in line with the job, and uses profanity, some of it briefly strong. LAURA LINNEY plays Eric's supervisor who assigns Eric to the task and must then convince him that her and the agency's assessment are correct. CAROLINE DHAVERNAS plays Eric's wife who becomes concerned over his change in behavior as well as Robert and his wife infiltrating their personal lives. She uses some profanity. GARY COLE and DENNIS HAYSBERT play other supervisors who also try to prove that Robert is a double agent. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a quick look at the content found in this dramatic thriller that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 "f" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Some sexually related dialogue is present, as are the sounds and brief sights of a homemade video showing a couple having sex. Violence includes a quick flashback of two agents being assassinated (with some bloody results), while a man threatens another man with a gun. Those and other scenes might be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, and there's some tension within a young couple's marriage due to the husband's demanding and purposefully secretive work. Meanwhile, a character appears to be intoxicated and other drinking is suggested and/or referenced. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's some bouncy camerawork inside a vehicle late in the film. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE After Robert tells Eric to tell him five things, four of which are the truth, Eric says several things, including that his favorite drink is vodka tonic. Robert knows that's the lie, and thus guesses the drink is really gin, but Eric says it's scotch. Robert then reminds Eric that agents aren't ever supposed to drink since they're never off duty. Eric comes home and Juliana has wine out for them, but they don't have any. Eric comes home and says he just wants to grab a drink and go to bed, but Juliana expresses her concern and frustration over his behavior, eventually causing him to slam his bottle down (without drinking any) and yell at her, "Shut up, G*ddamnit!" Eric has a drink by him. About a phone call Eric received from Robert, Kate asks Eric how drunk Robert sounded. Eric later finds Robert in a car with a bottle of booze by him, and Robert has him get in the car. Robert then drives off (presumably drunk), but there's no swerving, etc. BLOOD/GORE We see a flashback to two KGB agents walking along in a dimly lit hallway, followed by two men, one of which then shoots the two agents point blank in the back of the head (no blood is seen). We later see a brief flashback of one body on the floor with a pool of blood by it. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Robert is being investigated for allegedly being a double agent (selling top-secret information to the Russians) while also being accused of being a sexual deviant. Upon meeting Eric, Robert tells him, "Your name is clerk and mine is sir or boss." Robert tells Eric that equipment requests are for bureaucrats and for him to just go and get two computers for them off a pallet in the hallway. Robert says he doesn't like women in pantsuits, adding that they don't need another Hilary Clinton. Robert complains about seeing a Planned Parenthood person on TV, adding that she was a lesbian defending gay rights (and that it upset him). Robert is always testing people, and thus comes off as callous and judgmental. Eric confronts Kate about his undercover work, thinking the assignment is just the result of a grudge against Robert, but Kate says he's been spying for the Russians since 1985. We see Robert hiding money under a floorboard. Some might not like Robert stating (in writing) that the U.S is like a powerful but "retarded" child. Eric tells various white lies while working undercover (most to Robert). Eric comes home and says he just wants to grab a drink and go to bed, but Juliana expresses her concern and frustration over his behavior, eventually causing him to slam his bottle down (without drinking any) and yell at her, "Shut up, G*ddamnit!" Robert comments in disgust about a photographer being a "faggot." Robert and his wife put direct and indirect pressure on Juliana to become Catholic, including stopping by their house unannounced and uninvited while Eric isn't there. Eric opens Robert's outgoing mail, finds a videotape, and plays it. We hear sexual sounds and then see a close-up view of the TV screen (making the view grainy) of Robert having sex on top of his wife (a head and shoulders view, with her sounds). Later, Juliana plays the tape and then comments to Eric about Robert making porno tapes of Bonnie. FRIGHTENING SCENES When Robert steps out, Eric snoops through his office (under order by Kate), but hears Robert coming back and thus races back to his desk. Robert then tells him if he catches him in his office again, "You'll be pissing purple for a week." Invited for Sunday brunch at Robert's home, Eric snoops through his office while Robert is outside, but is nearly caught doing so by him. With Robert sent off to have his official photograph taken, Eric races to download the contents of his PDA. But Robert cuts the photo shoot short and starts to head back, but Garces intercepts him. We then see Eric still working on the download when we suddenly hear a gunshot (but that's from another scene where Robert and Garces are doing some target practice). Eric then puts the PDA back in Robert's briefcase, but then thinks he put it into the wrong pocket and thus races into Robert's office to make the switch, all as we see Robert approaching. Robert then enters before Eric gets out of his office, but Eric uses some subterfuge to cover his activity. Later, however, Robert confronts Eric and asks if he had been in his briefcase. Officials (who are tearing apart Robert's car looking for evidence while he's away at a three-hour meeting), panic when they get word that he's on his way back after only a short time away. While upset and after drinking, Robert takes Eric out into a desolate park at night, reminds Eric of how the FBI is a gun culture, and then pulls a gun from his ankle holster. He then fires a series of shots into the woods, with each getting closer to Eric until he eventually shoots by him. He then aims at him and pulls the trigger, but the gun is empty (we don't know if Robert knew that or not, although it's implied he did). He does this to find out if he can trust Eric. GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns: Carried and/or used to threaten or kill others. See "Violence" for details. Robert tells Eric that the FBI is a gun culture and that the only leaders are those with law enforcement in their background (rather than intel). We see a chart on the wall showing various weapons (seen in passing). We see Robert and Garces doing some target shooting in the gun range. Agents go through Robert's car, finding many weapons in his trunk. Guards carry automatic weapons at a government facility. Agents ready automatic weapons and then use them to arrest Robert at gunpoint. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Put the f*cking gun down," "It's bullsh*t," "When someone takes a sh*t on you, you don't reschedule," "You'll be pissing purple for a week," "My Lord, you are as dumb as a bag of hammers," "It's not like he's going to bring a train of hookers through the office," "What the hell is all this?" "Retarded," "Shut up, G*ddamnit," "I totally screwed something up," "Klutz," "Faggot photographer," "Imbecile," "Idiot," "I sure as hell," "He's a creep," "Are you an idiot?" and "It's all crap." It's possible the film could inspire some kids to want to spy on others. We see Robert hiding money under a floorboard. JUMP SCENES The sound of a sudden gunshot might startle some viewers. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A mild amount of suspenseful music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 1 "f" word, 6 "s" words, 3 hells, 1 crap, 1 possible S.O.B., 3 uses of "Jesus," 2 of "Lord" and 1 use each of "G-damn," "God's sakes" and "My Lord." SEX/NUDITY Juliana briefly shows a little cleavage while in bed with Eric. They briefly start kissing, but a phone call interrupts them. Kate tells Eric that Robert is a sexual deviant who posts lurid material on the Internet. Eric half jokes about Robert "jerking off" under his desk, with Kate sarcastically saying he can get down there and scrape away for evidence. About trying to find any dirt on Robert, Eric tells Kate that it's not like he (Robert) is going to bring "a train of hookers through the office." Robert's wife shows cleavage in her nightgown while praying. Kate talks about Robert and his sweet little anecdotes about how his wife likes rough sex. We then see a quick flashback view of Robert and his wife kissing on a bed (she in a nightgown, he in a robe or something similar). Eric opens Robert's outgoing mail, finds a videotape, and plays it. We hear sexual sounds and then see a close-up view of the TV screen (making the view grainy) of Robert having sex on top of his wife (a head and shoulders view, with her sounds). Later, Juliana plays the tape and then comments to Eric about Robert making porno tapes of Bonnie. Robert shows Eric some video on his monitor of a movie clip showing Catherine Zeta-Jones pulling up a sheet or other material over her presumably bare chest (we don't see any nudity). Robert comments about her being attractive. SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Working undercover, Eric takes photos of a married couple arguing out in public. Eric states that his mother has Parkinson's Disease. Robert doesn't seem happy when Eric brings up Robert's dad, saying that his father wasn't very impressed by things (such as Robert's success in the bureau). Eric comes home and says he just wants to grab a drink and go to bed, but Juliana expresses her concern and frustration over his behavior, eventually causing him to slam his bottle down (without drinking any) and yell at her, "Shut up, G*ddamnit!" Marital tension then proceeds to increase between them as the story progresses. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Agents and potential double agents in government agencies. The historical accuracy of and/or artistic license taken with the real story. Garces' comment to Eric not to take anything personally in the bureau. Robert tells Eric that the FBI is a gun culture and that the only leaders are those with law enforcement in their background (rather than intel). Eric states that his mother has Parkinson's Disease. Robert tells Eric that God expects him to live his faith. Robert states that the Soviets failed, despite being smarter and more devious, because of their godlessness. Robert states that the perks (and advancement in the bureau) go to those who play "the game" and politic their way up the ladder. Robert's comment that the "why" doesn't mean a thing when it comes to being a double agent. VIOLENCE We see a flashback to two KGB agents walking along in a dimly lit hallway, followed by two men, one of which then shoots the two agents point blank in the back of the head (no blood is seen). We later see a brief flashback of one body on the floor with a pool of blood by it. While upset and after drinking, Robert takes Eric out into a desolate park at night, reminds Eric of how the FBI is a gun culture, and then pulls a gun from his ankle holster. He then fires a series of shots into the woods, with each getting closer to Eric until he eventually shoots by him. He then aims at him and pulls the trigger, but the gun is empty (we don't know if Robert knew that or not, although it's implied he did). He does this to find out if he can trust Eric. Reviewed January 12, 2007 / Posted February 16, 2007

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